YOUR ORAL MICROBIOMECOULD INDICATE CANCER

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When it comes to health, MICROBIOMEis everything. And while we usually think of one's Microbiome as the bacteria living in one's gut, it's much more than that. Every different part of the body (SKIN, GUT, VAGINA, etc, etc) contains a unique microbial fingerprint. Furthermore, we know that these microbes are responsible for just about ever conceivable aspect of one's health. Alter your microbiome and you alter your PHYSIOLOGY / HOMEOSTASIS. While some of this is due to the fact that 80% of your immune system resides in your gut (HERE), there are others.

DR. WESTON PRICE showed everyone back in the 30's, 40's, and 50's, how important whole foods were not only in keeping teeth healthy, but to actually maintain the bone structure of the jaw and face (HERE). Furthermore, he and DR. ROYAL LEE (they were both dentists) were warning of the dangers of ROOT CANALS decades before anyone else. We can now see the evidence that the germs in one's mouth are actually linked to certain kinds of CANCER. But before we make the jump to cancer, just remember that it's a well known fact that periodontal gum disease is an inflammatory condition that has itself been associated with abnormal microbiome / microbiota. And as it's other name (periodontitis) indicates by the suffix "itis," it's inflammatory. This is why it's not surprising to see virtually every inflammatory disease on THIS LIST (cancer included) associated with gum disease and various sorts of DYSBIOSIS (in this case, oral dysbiosis).

In October of last year, Cancer Research gave us a massive and well-bibbed overview (440 sources) of this relationship called The Host Microbiome Regulates and Maintains Human Health: A Primer and Perspective for Non-Microbiologists that was done at least partially by dental researchers at Harvard. That same month, the journal Bioresearch Open Access (Gut Microbiota and Salivary Diagnostics: The Mouth Is Salivating to Tell Us Something) said that...

"The microbiome of the human body represents a symbiosis of microbial networks spanning multiple organ systems. Bacteria predominantly represent the diversity of human microbiota, but not to be forgotten are fungi, viruses, and protists. Consequently, it should not be surprising that gut dysbiosis can profoundly affect our wellbeing, lead to the manifestation of neuropsychiatric symptoms and conditions, and underlie a multitude of immune-related disorders (gut–brain-immune axis). Gut dysbiosis may also exacerbate the progression of a number of common and often chronic diseases. Allergies, atherosclerosis, colorectal cancer, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, neurological conditions, and obesity are some examples. There is mounting evidence that the spectrum of microbial species living in the mouth is, both in diversity and in composition, a close representation of the microbiota inhabiting the upper GI tract. Although the oral cavity is continuously subjected to a barrage of host and environmental insults, the oral microbiome remains relatively stable over time in healthy people. Given this fact, changes in the profile of the oral microbiome may provide correlative insight into the onset, progression, and recurrence of disease."

Last year, the journal Medical Oncology published a study called Salivary Biomarkers in Cancer Detection in which they discussed various substances (many consisting of components of the microbiome) being used to detect various kinds of cancer. In August of last year, Seminars in Immunology published a study (Microbiota Dysbiosis in Select Human Cancers: Evidence of Association and Causality), where they talked about some of the cancers that have known microbial fingerprints, "colorectal cancer, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer". The most amazing part of this study is found in the title --- the authors suggested that there is a causal relationship between dysbiosis and various sorts of cancer --- a relationship that in many cases, is proving to be bi-directional. Let's now take a look at some of the cancers that are specifically associated with oral dysbiosis.

THE ORAL FUNGUS / PERIODONTAL DISEASE CONNECTION: It's common knowledge that there is a relationship between periodontal disease and cancer. Likewise, the link between long term fungal infections and cancer is nothing new. We see these facts working together in a study (The Oral Fungal Mycobiome: Characteristics and Relation to Periodontitis) from last July's issue of BMC Microbiology, where the authors concluded, "We observed trends of higher Candida abundance in participants with periodontal disease, and participants with greater tooth loss." This should not be surprising in the least, especially once you realize that both candida (yeast) and cancer are both fed by sugar (HERE and HERE) as are all infections, dysbiotic or otherwise (HERE). Also be aware that while these various infections are fed by sugar, they frequently begin with antibiotics (HERE).

ORAL MICROBIOME, CANDIDA YEAST, AND MOUTH CANCERS: The first thing I must mention here is that according to any number of sources (this one from 2016's issue of Medicine --- Oral Sex and Oropharyngeal Cancer) "Sixty percent of oropharyngeal cancer reported in the United States is associated with HPV infections. Individuals who practiced oral sex with multiple partners are at risk for developing oropharyngeal cancer." Now that that's out of the way..... Two studies from December's issue of Scientific Reports (Variations in Oral Microbiota Associated with Oral Cancer and Alterations in Oral Bacterial Communities are Associated with Risk Factors for Oral and Oropharyngeal Cancer) both showed the same thing --- that a dysbiotic oral microbiome is associated with oral cancers. December's issue of Frontiers in Microbiology (The Microbiome of Potentially Malignant Oral Leukoplakia Exhibits Enrichment for Fusobacterium, Leptotrichia, Campylobacter, and Rothia Species) showed essentially the same thing. "Oral leukoplakia presents as a white patch on the oral mucosa and is recognized as having significant malignant potential. Colonization of these patches with Candida albicans is common." After doing microscopic studies of these white patches, the authors concluded that "Oral leukoplakia exhibits an altered microbiota that has similarities to the microbiome of colorectal cancer."

ORAL MIBROBIOME AND TONGUE CANCERS: What we see time and time again is that when it comes to microbiome, the word "diversity" is not only good, it's of critical importance for health. Typically speaking, the more diverse one's microbiome (the larger the number of different species of microbes), the more healthy the microbiome, and the more healthy the individual. A few short months ago, Oncotarget (Bacteriome and Mycobiome Associations in Oral Tongue Cancer) revealed that, "Oral squamous cell carcinomas are a major cause of morbidity and mortality, and tobacco usage, alcohol consumption, and poor oral hygiene are established risk factors." The authors, from various institutions in Cleveland, OH, concluded after looking at the tongues of 39 individuals with cancer and 39 without, that "Microbiome profiling, principal coordinate, and dissimilarity index analyses showed bacterial diversity and richness, and fungal richness, were significantly reduced in tumor tissue compared to their matched non-tumor tissues."

ORAL MICROBIOME AND HEAD & NECK CANCERS: Just a couple short weeks ago, JAMA Oncology (Association of Oral Microbiome With Risk for Incident Head and Neck Squamous Cell Cancer) showed that if people have increased amounts of certain bacteria in their mouths (in this case Corynebacterium and Kingella) they have a "decreased risk of head and neck squamous cell cancer." I would assume that the opposite is true as well (can anyone say dysbiosis?)

ORAL MICROBIOME AND ESOPHAGEAL CANCERS: As we make our way down the body, we get to the esophagus --- the tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. Just last month, Cancer Research carried a study called Oral Microbiome Composition Reflects Prospective Risk for Esophageal Cancers, in which they concluded that, "the abundance of the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis trended with higher risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and depletion of the commensal genus Neisseria and the species Streptococcus pneumoniae was associated with lower esophageal adenocarcinoma risk." In other words, certain strains of bacteria were a risk factor for esophageal cancer, while certain strains were protective against esophageal cancer.

ORAL MICROBIOME AND LUNG CANCER: Back in 2015, a group of 14 Chinese researchers published a study in the American Journal of Cancer Research (Discovery and Validation of Potential Bacterial Biomarkers for Lung Cancer) showing a relationship there as well. In this case the species "Capnocytophaga and Veillonella were significantly higher in the saliva from lung cancer patients, which may serve as potential biomarkers for the disease detection/classification."

ORAL MICROBIOME AND STOMACH CANCERS:The Journal of Periodontology Online (Chronic Periodontal Disease, Periodontal Pathogen Colonization, and Increased Risk of Precancerous Gastric Lesions) concluded that "Compared with the control group, patients with precancerous lesions of gastric cancer experienced higher prevalence of bleeding on probing, higher levels of T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans, and less bacterial diversity in their saliva. Findings of the present study provide new evidence suggesting that periodontal pathogen burdens and bacterial diversity in the oral cavity are important factors contributing to a potentially increased risk of developing precancerous gastric lesions." In other words, protective microbiomal diversity is crowded out by increased numbers of pathogenic bacteria (the definition of dysbiosis).

ORAL MICROBIOME AND BREAST CANCER: Thanks to our over-the-top sugar consumption, massive exposure to ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS (including chlorine, which is there for the express purpose of killing bacteria), BREAST CANCER is an increasingly common problem among Westernized women. A brand new study from Oncotarget (Breast Tissue, Oral and Urinary Microbiomes in Breast Cancer) showed abnormal urinary and fecal microbiota, as well as differences in the microbiomes of the tumors themselves. However, there were no noted differences in the oral microbiomes. However, other studies, such as Periodontal Disease and Breast Cancer: Prospective Cohort Study of Postmenopausal Women from last summer's issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, have been more adamant about a link. These Harvard researchers stated, "Periodontal disease, a common chronic inflammatory disorder, was associated with increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, particularly among former smokers who quit in the past 20 years."

ORAL MICROBIOME AND PANCREATIC CANCER: With a 7% chance of living five years, pancreatic cancer carries one of the worst prognoses in cancer. Last month's issue of the Cancer Journal (Oral Health and the Oral Microbiome in Pancreatic Cancer: An Overview of Epidemiological Studies) revealed that "Analyses of antibodies to pathogenic and/or commensal oral bacteria in prediagnostic blood provided evidence that some oral bacteria and oral microbial diversity may be related to pancreatic cancer. Overall, the data present a plausible but complex relationship among pancreatic cancer, the oral microbiome, periodontal disease, and other risk factors that might be explained by systemic effects on immune and inflammatory processes." In a study (Human Oral Microbiome and Prospective Risk for Pancreatic Cancer: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study) from this month's issue of Gut, the authors were a bit more blunt about their their conclusions. After comparing the oral bacterial content of over 700 individuals with and without pancreatic cancer, they concluded that "oral pathogens were associated with higher risk of pancreatic cancer. This study provides supportive evidence that oral microbiota may play a role in the etiology of pancreatic cancer." The authors went on to explain which bacteria appeared problematic and which appeared protective.

ORAL MICROBIOME AND COLON CANCER: Three months ago, the same journal -- Gut (The Oral Microbiota in Colorectal Cancer is Distinctive and Predictive) carried an Irish study that stated, "Microbiota alterations are linked with colorectal cancer and notably higher abundance of putative oral bacteria on colonic tumours. Several oral taxa were differentially abundant in colorectal cancer compared with controls. Combining the data from fecal microbiota and oral swab microbiota increased the sensitivity of this model to 76%." In other words, a simple stool sample and swab of the mouth could determine whether or not colon cancer was present over three quarters of the time. Watch as those numbers get even crazier in the issue of NPJBiofilms and Microbiomes that came out two months ago today (High-Resolution Bacterial 16S rRNA Gene Profile Meta-Analysis and Biofilm Status Reveal Common Colorectal Cancer Consortia). "Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the third most common cancer worldwide, with a growing incidence among young adults. Multiple studies have presented associations between the gut microbiome and CRC, suggesting a link with cancer risk. Results from the Malaysian cohort and the expanded meta-analysis confirm that CRC tissues are enriched for invasive biofilms and oral pathogens. Overall, our meta-analysis demonstrates that the vast majority (over 80%) of CRC cases contain aberrant microbial signatures indicative of dysbiosis." Did you catch that? If you have colon cancer, you have greater than a 4 out of 5 chance of having a concurrent DYSBIOTIC SITUATION. Not sure what a BIOFILMis? Click the link.

What are you going to do to keep your body free of dysbiosis and the invariable "LEAKINESS" (not to mention cancer) that always seems to follow? Easy; make sure to live a healthy lifestyle. Fortunately for you, I've given you plenty of information on what this entails and how to get there from here (HERE). I would suggest you start creating your very own EXIT STRATEGY today!

WHAT'S MAKING YOU FAT?COULD IT BE THE BACTERIA THATMAKE UP YOUR MICROBIOME?

Gerd Altmann - Freiburg/Deutschland - Pixabay

If there is one drum that I continue to beat on my site, it's the importance of GUT HEALTH and the fact that it's critical to maintain it by keeping your family off of ANTIBIOTICS. When you foul your MICROBIOME --- the normal bacteria that live both in and on your body --- you create a situation known as DYSBIOSIS. A quick peek at the scientific literature reveals that dysbiosis frequently results in a LEAKY GUT (and vice versa), which causes a downhill spiral that decimates health in numerous ways. Case in point, a study from a recent issue of the Journal of Lipid Research (Deposition and Hydrolysis of Serine Dipeptide Lipids of Bacteroidetes Bacteria in Human Arteries: Relationship to Atherosclerosis) showed how an imbalance in Gut Bacteria can lead to heart disease.

It's been known for a very long time that antibiotics cause OBESITY, although the mechanism was not completely understood (HERE). A team of a dozen scientists, led by researchers from UCONN, showed that dysbiotic bacteria from the oral cavity and Gut secrete large amounts of lipids (fats) that end up in places they shouldn't -- like say the arterial walls. Listen to what Jim Kreiger said in a story for UCONN Today (Bacterial Fats, Not Dietary Ones, May Deserve Blame for Heart Disease).

"Heart disease and fatty clogs in the arteries go hand in hand. But new evidence suggests the fatty molecules might come not only from what you eat, but from the bacteria in your mouth... The research may explain why gum disease is associated with heart trouble. Heart attacks and strokes are the crises we notice, but they result from a slow process of atherosclerosis, the hardening and clogging of the arteries with fatty substances called lipids. For a very long time, doctors and researchers assumed that the lipids came from eating fatty, cholesterol-rich food. But the research hasn’t borne this out; some people who eat large amounts of the foods we thought were the sources of the fat, such as eggs, butter, fatty fish, and meat, don’t necessarily develop heart disease."

Did you catch that? Despite the fact that I cannot get this simple fact through the heads of many of my patients who grew up with messages to the contrary drilled into their heads on a regular basis, it's not dietary fat that causes people to get fat. Although the kind of fats people consume is certainly of critical importance, compared to SUGAR and high glycemic carbohydrates, fat is metabolically inert. Sugar, however, sets off a metabolic firestorm --- an unholy chain reaction that can rapidly ruin your health via INSULIN RESISTANCE, CARDIOMETABOLIC SYNDROME, DIABETES, STROKES and HEART ATTACKS --- and that's just for starters (SUGAR CAUSES CANCER as well). And it's not because you ate fat, but because under certain conditions, fat is being created by dysbiotic bacteria.

What have I been telling you for years? It's antibiotics that initially cause dysbiosis, but sugar and a HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE that propagates it. And all of this is intimately entangled with --- you guessed it --- INFLAMMATION (a group of immune system chemicals that allows your body to communicate with itself). While a necessary part of the normal healing process, too much inflammation causes some serious problems. Listen to what World Health dot net said in a recent article called Bacterial Fats May be to Blame for Heart Disease (they bill themselves as "The original voice of the American Academy of Anti-Aging, Preventative, and Regenerative Medicine").

"Bacteroidetes makes distinctive fats. Non-native Bacteroidetes [Dysbiosis] can be broken down with an enzyme in the body that processes lipids into the material to make inflammation enhancing molecules, making them have a double hit to blood vessels: The immune system views them as a sign of bacterial infection, and then breaks them down with enzymes that super charges inflammation."

While interesting, those of you in the know cannot be surprised. What's super cool is that by using a healthy diet as a weapon against inflammation, you have the ability to start turning your health around. Just realize that a healthy diet, while of critical importance, is not the only non-pharmaceutical weapon at your disposal against chronic inflammation, chronic pain, and chronic illness. If you are interested in the protocol I created to help give suffering people a starting point, make sure to take a look at THIS POST. I'm the first to admit that it's not the solution for everyone. But it will at least get you thinking with a different mindset, hopefully pointing you in the right direction.

THE VERY LATEST RESEARCH ON DIET, DRUGS, DYSBIOSIS, AND DISEASE

"The composition of the gut microbiota is in constant flow under the influence of factors such as the diet, ingested drugs, the intestinal mucosa, the immune system, and the microbiota itself. Natural variations in the gut microbiota can deteriorate to a state of dysbiosis when stress conditions rapidly decrease microbial diversity and promote the expansion of specific bacterial taxa. A multitude of diseases including inflammatory bowel diseases but also metabolic disorders such as obesity and diabetes type II are associated with intestinal dysbiosis."From the March 28, 2017 issue of Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (Mechanisms and Consequences of Intestinal Dysbiosis)

When it comes to your health, your MICROBIOME (the bacteria that live both in and on you) is everything. Screw up your Microbiome, and you can screw up your health in so many potential ways it will make your head spin. Does what you eat or put in your body affect your Microbiome? That is the question we are going to tackle today.

According to the MedicineNet site, infection is defined as, "The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites that are not normally present within the body. An infection may remain localized, or it may spread through the blood or lymphatic vessels to become systemic." Once health issues have gone "systemic," everything is harder to deal with. For instance, localized PARASITES or FUNGI are typically easier to deal with than systemic parasites. Furthermore, we know that when it comes to infections, sugar is what fuels the beast (HERE). Enter Dysbiosis.

When you get down to it, Dysbiosis is a type of infection. Defined by the online science journal, Nature, as, "the condition of having imbalances in the microbial communities either in or on the body," this problem is almost never caught early. Why? Because it's frequently, at least to some degree, a product of various medical interventions. The same journal goes on to say in the next sentence that, "Dysbiosis is associated with many diseases." In other words, if your microbial makeup is disturbed in any fashion, your propensity to EPIGENETICALLY TRIGGER any manner of diseases goes through the proverbial roof. Today I want to show you the progression from diet, to drugs, to dysbiosis, to disease. The harsh reality is that I could easily end string with another "D" word ---- death.

DIET AS RELATED TO DYSBIOSIS

Even though most people don't seem too concerned by it AS LONG AS THEIR WEIGHT IS NORMAL, on some level they know that what they eat affects their health. While there is a great deal of dispute about what constitutes a "healthy" diet (HERE), there's not much dispute that eating the wrong foods has the ability to cause all sorts of health issues via affecting the Microbiome. Rather than showing you a bunch of studies on this, we are going to look at just one. Four years ago, three researchers from the University of British Columbia published a study in the journal Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism called Clinical Consequences of Diet-Induced Dysbiosis. Although you should really read this in its entirety, I'm going to leave you with some bite-sized morsels. The study begins by saying....

"Various disease states are associated with an imbalance of protective and pathogenic bacteria in the gut, termed dysbiosis. Current evidence reveals that dietary factors affect the microbial ecosystem in the gut. Changes to community structure of the intestinal microbiota are not without consequence considering the wide effects that the microbes have on both local and systemic immunity."

Because INFLAMMATION is considered a chemical action of the Immune System, we could of just as easily substituted it for the last two words of the quote above (the word "inflammation" is used over and over again in this paper). If you want to really talk Immune System function as related to Microbiome / Dysbiosis, let's talk TREGS for a moment. TREGS are T-Regulatory cells (they used to be called T-Suppressors) that down-regulate your Immune System, keeping it in check, and not allowing it to burn like an out-of-control wildfire. When bad things happen to TREGS, you end up with AUTOIMMUNITY -- your body attacking itself. "Gut microbiota can modulate the function and responsiveness of intestinal immune cells, like T regulatory cells, to bacterial products. This is required to regulate mechanisms that keep both mucosal and systemic immunity in balance, allowing for mucosal surfaces to tolerate harmless bacteria, yet adequately respond to invading pathogens." In other words, we should not be surprised that DAN REYNOLDS AS is believed to be linked to issues in his GUT HEALTH, nor that it's all being linked to what we are eating. Now pay attention because this is where things start getting wild.

"Identifying dietary factors that control the intestinal microbial ecology and their role in enteric disease susceptibility could provide insight into the functioning of the microbiota in healthy and diseased individuals. Yet, due to the vast diversity of dietary antigens and gut microbes, we are challenged to define the exact interactions between microbes, dietary antigens and epithelium and their consequences to the host."

Allow me to paraphrase this in layman's terms. Not only are there there vast numbers of bacteria in our digestive tract, there are vast numbers of potential, "dietary antigens". These are things like GLUTEN, GRAINS in general, SOY, FODMAPS, NIGHTSHADES, undigested or partially digested food particles, and an endless number of others. It's why I tell everyone that the starting point for any legitimate "EXIT STRATEGY" has to be an ELIMINATION DIET. The authors go on to explain why this is. These dietary antigens react with the epithelium of their host. While this sounds rather innocuous, the authors are talking here not only about Leaky Gut Syndrome, but the rest of "THE LEAKIES" as well (Leaky Brain Syndrome, Leaky Lung Syndrome, Leaky Cord Syndrome, Leaky Nerve Syndrome, etc, etc). Fail to identify your "dietary antigens" and I promise that nothing else you do, including lots of drugs, is going to help you. Speaking of drugs.......

DRUGS CAUSE DYSBIOSIS

The fact that drugs (both pushed and prescribed) lead to Dysbiosis is not news. If we head over to that venerable pavilion of truth and knowledge, Wikipedia, we see that Dysbiosis is, according to them, caused by three things --- "inappropriate antibiotic exposure, alcohol misuse, or inappropriate diet." Note that this is essentially saying that two things, diet and drug exposure, cause Dysbiosis (I would have to throw STRESS in there as well). As for ANTIBIOTICS, all you have to do is click the link to see all my posts on the topic (or you could look at JUST THIS ONE) to see that they are directly responsible for huge numbers of health issues, including vast amounts of Dysbiosis. Why? They kill bacteria indiscriminately, the good along with the bad. Listen to what the Annals study mentioned earlier had to say concerning this topic.

"The consequences of dysbiosis are not innocent, but detrimental when pathobionts (any disease-causing microorganism) become prominent in the microbial communities. It is well documented that antibiotic treatments cause aberrancies in the host microbiota. Though it is generally believed that such changes are normalized within weeks of cessation of antibiotics, recent evidence challenges this notion. In a clinical setting, this raises important concern regarding the appropriate use or avoidance of antibiotics."

The train is starting to wobble, but follow along as I show you where it goes completely off the rails. The last link above ("This One" --- A Little Dab'll Ruin Ya) shows how it only take a bit of Antibiotics --- in some cases a single exposure --- to cause major damage to one's health. But Antibiotics are not the only drugs that cause Dysbiosis.

The reality is that according to DR. ART AYERS, whom I have considered one of the top experts in this field for quite some time, ALL DRUGS have varying degrees of Antibiotic activity. This is why no matter what may be wrong with you, it's important that you get healthy enough to get off as many drugs as is humanly possible. If you need more reasons, you can read about our "DRUG CULTURE" or the fact that according to several meta-analysis, drug's side effects are only reported to the proper authorities 1% of the time. That, folks, is not a misprint (HERE). Failure to report either drug side effects or the results of studies that don't turn out as researchers hoped (HERE), has skewed the side effect profiles of most medications, making them look far safer than they really are. TYLENOL is a great example of this phenomenon.

DISEASES RELATED TO DYSBIOSIS

My goal with this section is to show you that Dysbiosis is as real as a proverbial heart attack (literally) and every bit as vicious. To show you this in vivid color, allow me to use studies that are not over a few weeks old. Believe me; if you are still doing the antibiotic thing for every little sniffle, COUGH, sneeze, FEVER, SINUS INFECTION, or FLU that comes along, this section will force you think about changing. Also believe me when I tell you that this list could have gone on and on, containing many of those diseases that the general public has been led to believe are "GENETIC". Everything is cherry-picked due to restraints on time and space.

GETTING OLDER: Did you know that simply getting older (GULP), is a cause of Dysbiosis? This month's issue of Cell Host & Microbe takes this a step further with a study called Age-Associated Microbial Dysbiosis Promotes Intestinal Permeability, Systemic Inflammation, and Macrophage Dysfunction. "Levels of inflammatory mediators in circulation are known to increase with age. These data suggest that aging-associated microbiota promote inflammation and that reversing these age-related microbiota changes represents a potential strategy for reducing age-associated inflammation and the accompanying morbidity." For the record, the "increased permeability" seen in the study's title is referring to Leaky Gut Syndrome, and macrophage dysfunction means that your immune system (white blood cells) are not working properly.

CANCER HAS A DISTINCT MICROBIOMAL FOOTPRINT: And not only that, different types of CANCER carry their own distinct footprint compared to other cancers. Case in point, the March 30 issue of Oncotarget (The Ovarian Cancer Oncobiome) concluded that, "Dysbiosis of the microbiome has been associated with pathology including cancer. We have identified a microbiome signature unique to ovarian cancers, one of the most lethal malignancies of the female reproductive system. The results show a distinct group of viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic signatures of high significance in ovarian cases." Considering cancer is one of the many health issues that results from Inflammation (HERE), we shouldn't be surprised.

DYSBIOSIS CAUSES STROKES: Just four short days ago, PLoS One (Gut Dysbiosis is Associated With Metabolism and Systemic Inflammation in Patients with Ischemic Stroke) concluded that, "The aim of this study was to investigate whether the gut microbiota, as well as concentrations of organic acids, the major products of dietary fiber fermentation by the gut microbiota, are altered in patients with ischemic stroke, and to examine the association between these changes and host metabolism and inflammation. Changes in the prevalence of Lactobacillus ruminis were positively correlated with serum interleukin-6 levels. In addition, ischemic stroke was associated with decreased and increased concentrations of acetic acid and valeric acid, respectively. Meanwhile, changes in acetic acid concentrations were negatively correlated with the levels of glycated hemoglobin and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, whereas changes in valeric acid concentrations were positively correlated with the level of high sensitivity C-reactive protein and with white blood cell counts. Together, our findings suggest that gut dysbiosis in patients with ischemic stroke is associated with host metabolism and inflammation." Although there is a lot of meat here, suffice it to say that every single one of these metabolic changes --- many of which can be seen on an OAT (Organic Acid Test) --- is associated with bad outcomes, in this case strokes.

CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND DYSBIOSIS: Just over two weeks ago, the journal Circulation Research (Gut Microbiota in Cardiovascular Health and Disease) took the last study a bit farther concluding that, "accumulating evidence has revealed that intestinal microbiota play an important role in human health and disease, including cardiovascular diseases. Changes in the composition of gut microbiota associated with disease, referred to as dysbiosis, have been linked to pathologies such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes mellitus." Fantastic study that talks not only about Leaky Gut Syndrome as related to these issues, but the fact that each and every one of these listed diseases would fall under the category of "cardiovascular".

AUTOIMMUNE HEPATITIS: Although the majority of people who contract hepatitis do so from lifestyle choices (prostitutes, IV drug users, homosexual men, etc, etc), some people end up with hepatitis for other reasons, some of it because the BODY DECIDED TO ATTACK ITSELF (in this case, it attacked the liver). Furthermore, I've shown you that most drug therapies tend to be IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE. Late last week, Expert Reviews in Clinical Immunology (Evolving Paradigm of Treatment for Autoimmune Hepatitis) concluded that, "Current medications for autoimmune hepatitis have broad anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive actions, but their effects are short-lived and inconsistent. Abstracts cited in PubMed from April 1964 to February 2017 were identified. The number of abstracts reviewed exceeded 1,000. Interventions affecting intestinal dysbiosis promise to emerge as supplemental or replacement therapies. The intestinal microbiome constitutes the next investigational frontier that may influence future management strategies." Oh, this study also spent time discussing "fibrogenesis" --- that fact that inflammation always leads to fibrosis (scar tissue), which always leads to some sort of degenerative changes (HERE).

DIET, GUT HEALTH, AND INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE: Just weeks ago, the March 27 issue of the World Journal of Gastroenterology (Diet and Microbiota in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: The Gut in Disharmony) revealed that, "Recently, quantitative and qualitative changes in the composition of the gut microbiota have been detected in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, reinforcing the hypothesis of dysbiosis as a relevant mechanism underlying inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) pathogenesis. Among such environmental factors, food and alimentary habits, progressively altered in modern societies, appear to be critical modulators of the microbiota, contributing to or co-participating in dysbiosis. In addition, food constituents such as micronutrients are important regulators of mucosal immunity, with direct or indirect effects on the gut microbiota. Moreover, food constituents have recently been shown to modulate epigenetic mechanisms, which can result in increased risk for the development and progression of IBD." This last sentence is epic. The food you eat modulates your genes (it largely controls whether or not you actually express the genes for disease states), which is one of the many facets of epigenetics. In other words, for most people, having the gene for a certain disease means almost nothing as long as you don't flip the switch that turns it on.

DYSBIOSIS AND ASTHMA: Because ASTHMA has been associated with early use of Antibiotics for well over a decade (HERE), this bullet should come as no surprise. Earlier this month researchers published a study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology titled Airway Microbial Dysbiosis in Asthmatic Patients... The authors stated that, "There has been long-standing interest in the role of bacterial communities in the complex and heterogeneous disease of asthma. These microbiota can be modulated by various environmental factors, including diet, antibiotics, and early-life microbial exposures. Microbiota in the gut and lungs can influence both the inception and progress of asthma. In babies and infants the presence of pathogenic bacteria in the lungs and gut has been associated with subsequent development of allergic sensitization and asthma." What's even more interesting is that treating with PROBIOTICS & PREBIOTICS, "has been overall negative." If you want to understand why fixing Dysbiosis is, in many cases, not as simple as simply taking some acidophilus or some other probiotic, THIS is the post you need to read.

THYROID DISEASE AND MICROBIOME: The huge majority of THYROID PROBLEMS (Grave's and Hashimoto's) are autoimmune. As you might suspect, this helps explain the STRONG LINK between Gluten and Thyroid Disease (not to mention THE OTHER AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES). About three weeks ago, Frontiers in Endocrinology (Environmental Issues in Thyroid Diseases) concurred. After listing a slew of the "environmental factors" (many being the ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS I often call "xenohormones"), the grand finale was that, "Moreover intestinal dysbiosis causes autoimmune thyroiditis." The article went on to say that, "As intestinal dysbiosis occurs, the epithelial barrier fails to function [Leaky Gut Syndrome] and there is the appearance of intestinal and systemic disorders. The intestinal tract is determinant in metabolizing nutrients, drugs, and hormones, exogenous and endogenous iodothyronines, and micronutrients implicated in thyroid homeostasis. Different autoimmune disorders have a pathogenetic link with dysbiosis... Hyper- and hypothyroidism, frequently in autoimmune thyroid disease, are associated with bacterial overgrowth in small intestinal or with changes in composition of microbiota." Interesting last sentence. Can anyone say SIBO?

ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE AND DYSBIOSIS: Just after I wrote THIS ARTICLE referring to Alzheimer's Disease as 'Diabetes of the Brain,' late in March, the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease published a study called The Gut Microbiota and Alzheimer's Disease. In it they concluded, "The gut microbiota comprises a complex community of microorganism species that resides in our gastrointestinal ecosystem and whose alterations influence not only various gut disorders but also central nervous system disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. Studies in germ-free animals and in animals exposed to pathogenic microbial infections, antibiotics, probiotics, or fecal microbiota transplantation suggest a role for the gut microbiota in host cognition or Alzheimer's Disease-related pathogenesis. The increased permeability of the gut and blood-brain barrier induced by microbiota dysbiosis may mediate or affect Alzheimer's Disease pathogenesis and other neurodegenerative disorders, especially those associated with aging. In addition, bacteria populating the gut microbiota can secrete large amounts of amyloids and lipopolysaccharides, which might contribute to the modulation of signaling pathways and the production of proinflammatory cytokines associated with the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's Disease. Moreover, imbalances in the gut microbiota can induce inflammation that is associated with the pathogenesis of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and Alzheimer's Disease." There's a lot of meat here, but once you realize that sugar is related to inflammation, which is related to the amyloid brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's, it starts to make a bit more sense.

AUTISM AND DYSBIOSIS: I've shown you repeatedly that according to peer-review, autism is heavily linked to Microbiome / Dysbiosis (HERE). Thus, even though we continue to hear the standard line --- that there is no relationship between vaccines and autism --- why would we think that even though virtually all drugs cause some degree of dysbiosis (see earlier bullet), vaccines don't (HERE)? Sixteen researchers from the University of Naples (Italy) published a study three weeks ago tomorrow in the journal Science Reports (Sex-Related Alterations of Gut Microbiota Composition in the BTBR Mouse Model of Autism Spectrum Disorder) that came to some conclusions that may interest those following the VACCINE / AUTISM debate. "Alterations of microbiota-gut-brain axis have been invoked in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD)." Because we already know from the earlier links that the funky toxins (HERE) commonly found in all vaccines can seriously foul the Microbiome and cause Dysbiosis (HERE), what more do we really need to know? "BTBR mice (Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Sutterella, Dehalobacterium and Oscillospira) of both sexes presented a marked intestinal dysbiosis, alterations of behavior, gut permeability and immunological state with respect to prosocial strain." Of course this study didn't say that vaccines have anything to do with autism. However, it did say that, "The ability of the enteric microbes to directly communicate with the central nervous system (CNS), to modulate brain functions and possibly influence behavior is currently under study, and the importance of a microbiota-gut-brain axis has been established." The only question is whether things like MERCURY, ALUMINUM, formaldehyde, MSG, (all commonly found in vaccines -- see "funky toxins" link) etc, have the ability to adversely affect the brain. Honestly folks, when you start looking at the links, it's a "no-brainer" (no pun intended).

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AS RELATED TO DYSBIOSIS: One month ago, the journal Seminars in Immunopathology (Pre-Symptomatic Autoimmunity in Rheumatoid Arthritis: When Does the Disease Start?) wanted to figure out exactly where Rheumatoid Arthritis begins. Pay attention because it's likely similar to other autoimmune diseases. "It is well recognized that a state of autoimmunity, in which immunological tolerance is broken, precedes the development of symptoms in the majority of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There is evidence that the induction of the autoantibody response occurs at peripheral extra-articular mucosal sites, such as the periodontium and lung. In addition to their utility as diagnostic markers, these autoantibodies may have a pathogenic role that helps localise disease to the synovium. Alongside the development of autoantibodies, other factors contributing to pre-symptomatic autoimmunity may include dysbiosis of the gastrointestinal tract, abnormal development of lymphoid tissue, and dysregulated autonomic and lipid-mediated anti-inflammatory signalling. These factors combine to skew the balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signalling in a manner that is permissive for the development of clinical arthritis. We present data to support the concept that the transitions from at-risk states to systemic autoimmunity and then to classifiable RA depend on multiple "switches"". Where do I start. The epigenetic "switches" that are turned on in people with diseases states include things mentioned here (sometimes quite subtly) like INFECTED TEETH, LEAKY LUNGS, and a screwed up or dysbiotic GI Tract (HERE). The only question remaining is a chicken and egg sort of thing (SOME PEOPLE ALREADY KNOW THE ANSWER) --- did the dysbiosis come first or did the RA cause the dysbiosis? We already know the answer. Look at THIS SHORT POST I gave you back in 2013 on the most effective method currently not (at least not often and not around here) being used to treat RA.

OTHERS:As I said earlier, you can easily plug almost any disease into this that is not considered 100% genetic (Down's Syndrome is one example of many). All you have to do is thumb through peer-reivew or search my site. MS? Click the link. DIABETES? Click the link. Want to see all my posts on DYSBIOSIS? Just click the link. When I tell you that when it comes to your health, your Gut is everything, I'm not just whistlin Dixie.

Drugs, the worst offender being antibiotics, are causing this junk, and it's being fueled by our collective HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE. Should we be surprised? Of course not --- particularly knowing that in similar fashion, we've known for almost a century that sugar is what fuels cancer as well (HERE). If you are looking to get off the Medical Merry-Go-Round, at least take a look at the PALEO DIET and FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANTS (no, I do not do them here, and yes, they were mentioned over and over again in the studies being discussed today). To see my post on addressing your health problems without drugs and surgery, HERE it is.

SIBOSMALL INTESTINE BACTERIAL OVERGROWTH(WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOUR HEALTH?)

"According to a recent report, PPIs provoke dysbiosis of the small intestinal bacterial flora, exacerbating nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced [NSAID] small intestinal injury. Several meta-analyses and systematic reviews have reported that patients treated with PPIs, as well as post-gastrectomy patients, have a higher frequency of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) compared to patients who lack the aforementioned conditions. At this time, PPI-induced dysbiosis is considered a type of SIBO. It now seems likely that intestinal bacterial flora influence many diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and autoimmune diseases. When attempting to control intestinal bacterial flora with probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation [FMT], etc., the influence of acid suppression therapy, especially PPIs, should not be overlooked." From this June's issue of World Journal of Gastroenterology (What Are the Effects of Proton Pump Inhibitors on the Small Intestine?)

For years I've been telling you about the numerous pitfalls associated with ANTIBIOTICS (as well as NON-ANTIBIOTICS) and Dysbiosis. DYSBIOSIS simply means that some part of your body has an imbalance in its normal flora (the ratio of good bacteria to bad bacteria is out of whack), which, with what we currently know about GUT HEALTH, is a deal-breaker as far as good health is concerned. A small example of this phenomenon that all women understand would be a YEAST INFECTION. But what happens when Dysbiosis is not so 'in-your-face' obvious? One of the many ways that Dysbiosis can destroy your life is via SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth).

Most people are completely freaked out by the very thought of bacteria. This is why Antibiotics are such an easy sell here in America, and why the wide array of commercially available antimicrobial products continues to be popular despite much evidence to the contrary (look at how many women now have the little bottle of hand sanitizer key-chained to their purses). Once you begin to have an understanding of the HYGIENE HYPOTHESIS, you start to see why anything that kills your normal flora is destroying your own IMMUNE SYSTEM (although your large intestine should be loaded with bacteria, your small intestine should contain relatively fewer).

According to any number of sources, SIBO that does not have an anatomical basis (surgery, diverticulitis, blind loops, etc) is usually caused by poor diets and too many drugs. Other than Antibiotics, the drugs most likely to cause SIBO are PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS (PPI's) --- not surprising once you understand the importance of STRONG STOMACH ACID'S ROLE as a destroyer of pathogenic bacteria. And like any number of other health issues (H. Pylori --- see previous link, C. DIFF, EAR INFECTIONS, SINUS INFECTIONS, and a multitude of others), even though Antibiotics are the medical treatment-of-choice for SIBO (the specific drug is called Rifaximin), they actually turn around and cause the very problem they are trying to treat. Again, not difficult to understand when you realize that bacteria make up the vast majority of your Immune System. Some of the chief risk factors for SIBO include......... (some of these are not only risk factors, but potential symptoms of the problem as well)

CONSTIPATION: The slow passage of food through the digestive tract (CONSTIPATION) can make the small intestine stagnant. In the same way that you won't find moss growing on the CURRENT RIVER even though you'll find it growing on a stagnant farm pond, so will you find bacterial overgrowth in a small intestine with diminished motility. Scleroderma, FIBROMYALGIA, Pancreatitis, and CELIAC DISEASE, are all thought to cause diminished motility (there are others). In fact, the villi (and microvilli) of the small intestine of an individual with SIBO will have an appearance similar to that of the large intestine of an individual with Celiac Disease.

DIARRHEA: The August 2004 issue of the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (SmallBowel Bacterial Overgrowth is a Common Cause of Chronic Diarrhea) concluded that, "Small bowel bacterial overgrowth is a common (33-67%) cause of chronic diarrhea". Put bacteria where they should not be (the small intestine) and it causes massive amounts of INFLAMMATION, which in turn leads to diarrhea. Poorly or incompletely digested particles of food then enter the colon (large intestine), which can be extremely bad news if you have a "Leaky Gut" --- see the final bullet point.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME: When you combine the two previous bullet points together in tandem, you get IBS. Some studies show that as many as 4 out of 5 IBS SUFFERERS have SIBO. For instance, BioMed Central'sGastroenterology journal published a study in 2010 (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Are There Any Predictors?) that stated in their 'discussion' that, "SIBO was detected in up to 84% of patients who met Rome criteria for IBS". There are any number of similar studies.

TYPE II DIABETES / INSULIN RESISTANCE: This, folks, is not rocket science. Not only is there a ton of research on this topic (most of it seemingly concerning Type I or "Autoimmune" Diabetes) but we already know that SUGAR FEEDS INFECTION. And what is Dysbiosis, but a nasty bacterial infection of the small intestine. Living the HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE is another of the risk factors for developing all types of Dysbiosis, including SIBO.

IMMUNE SYSTEM DYSFUNCTION / SUPPRESSION: Twenty seven years ago this month, the journal Surgery carried a study called Small-Bowel Bacterial Overgrowth and Systemic Immunosuppression. I'm not going to delve into the specifics of this study, but suffice it to say that I have shown you how huge numbers of our nation's drugsWORK VIA IMMUNO-SUPPRESSION. This is probably why there are studies linking SIBO to problems as diverse as RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME (an Autoimmune form of NEUROPATHY). A study published in the June 2011 issue of Sleep Medicine (Restless Legs Syndrome is Associated With Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) found that, "SIBO was diagnosed in 69% of RLS subjects compared to 28% of general population controls". The August 2012 issue of Sleep Medicine Reviews (Restless Legs Syndrome--Theoretical Roles of Inflammatory and Immune Mechanisms) goes in a similar direction by stating that, "Increased prevalence of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) in controlled studies in RLS and case reports of post-infectious RLS suggest potential roles for inflammation and immunological alterations. Overall, 42 of the 47 RLS-associated conditions (89%) have also been associated with inflammatory and/or immune changes. In addition, 32% have been associated with SIBO. The fact that 95% of the 38 highly-associated RLS conditions are also associated with inflammatory/immune changes suggests the possibility that RLS may be mediated or affected through these mechanisms."

Diagnosing SIBO can be done via a sample of material taken from the small intestine (invasive, expensive, and not necessarily as accurate as we have always been led to believe) or it can be done via any number of breath tests. The breath tests usually look for metabolites of carbohydrate metabolism or methane gas. That's right; nasty gas and foul-smelling stools are a hallmark of SIBO as well as other forms of Dysbiosis.

The treatment of this problem is tricky for reasons explained earlier --- Antibiotics --- the medical treatment of choice for bacterial infections --- tend to cause the very problem(s) they are used to treat. The August 2008 issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth Recurrence after Antibiotic Therapy) concluded that half of everyone treated for this problem had relapsed within a year --- which is itself a risk factor. "GBT positivity recurrence rate was high after antibiotic treatment. Older age, history of appendectomy, and chronic use of PPIs were associated with GBT positivity recurrence. Patients with evidence of GBT positivity recurrence showed gastrointestinal symptoms relapse thus suggesting SIBO recurrence." GBT is the Glucose Breath Test --- a test for SBIO. I know, however, that the question everyone is asking is how can this problem be solved once it's diagnosed?

Eight MD's (mostly Gastroenterologists from Johns Hopkins University) and an RN published a study in last May's issue of Global Advances in Health and Medicine (Herbal Therapy Is Equivalent to Rifaximin for the Treatment of Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) which, as the title might suggest, concluded that herbs work as well as drugs for this particular problem. "SIBO is widely prevalent in a tertiary referral gastroenterology practice. Patients with small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) have chronic intestinal and extraintestinal symptomatology which adversely affects their quality of life. Present treatment of SIBO is limited to oral antibiotics with variable success. Herbal therapies are at least as effective as rifaximin for resolution of SIBO by LBT. Herbals also appear to be as effective as triple antibiotic therapy for SIBO rescue therapy for rifaximin non-responder." In case this didn't hit you like a wrecking ball, re-read it until the magnitude of this paragraph sinks in.

Beyond following some of the GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS found in these posts, those who have SIBO are advised to feed their microbiome properly (HERE). This will definitely involve following a LOW FODMAP DIET (or HERE). It may also mean you need to increase the strength of your stomach acid (see earlier links). This is also an area where medicine to increase small intestinal motility is needed. However, before trying that, I would see if CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS will accomplish the task.

Just remember that the information in this post and on my site is just that --- information. It is not meant to diagnose, treat, or manage any disease. If you think you may have an actual disease make sure to see your doctor immediately if not sooner.

WHAT DOES THE CURRENT SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE SAY ABOUT DYSBIOSIS?STAY AWAY FROM ANTIBIOTICS AS THOUGH YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT

"As clinicians know, it takes a long time for research to sort of percolate through the expert and clinician community and guidelines are really important in that process, and it takes a long time for things to get on the radar screen of a guideline committee. I think this is an issue whose time has come and it's time to look at the evidence, and different people will have different takes on the evidence, as always." Dr. Dr. Jan Blustein, MD, PhD, of the New York City's Wagner School of Medicine in an article discussed below (Dr. Sanjay Gupta). Mark my words, this information will continue to be ignored (percolate is a much gentler word) in order to prescribe drugs.

Are you chronically ill? Do you struggle with an array of CHRONIC INFLAMMATORY DEGENERATIVE DISEASES? Do you suffer with any of the hundreds of different forms of AUTOIMMUNITY? Do your doctors have NO IDEA what's causing your problems? Does it seem like they are chasing your symptoms like your neighbor's dog chases its tail? Unfortunately, even if they can put an "official" name on your problem, the standard medical approach is not likely to solve it. Because of a massive and ongoing paradigm shift, the average treating physician and his RELIANCE ON BIG PHARMA is being left in the proverbial dust (to understand why, look at the quote at the top). Much of this shift is occurring in the field of GUT HEALTH.

Despite the fact that we've known for nearly two decades that 80% of your body's Immune System resides in your Digestive Tract, in the form of bacteria we refer to as your MICROBIOME, nothing is being done about it in the average doctor's office. In fact, if you weren't a regular reader of my site, you might not know much more about this phenomenon than the drivel you see on Yahoo or any of the monthly women's magazines. Unfortunately, if you don't get this figured out, your children will be worse off than you --- far worse. Why? Not only are our collective diets absolutely pathetic, we are killing off our Microbiomes in monstrous fashion ---- often times from birth.

Today we are going to discuss something called DYSBIOSIS. According to the definition provided by Leaky Gut do com, "Dysbiosis refers to a bacterial imbalance in the gut, which can compromise the immune system. It has been said that dysbiosis plays a part in many conditions such as: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Ankylosing Spondylitus, Multiple Sclerosis, Chronic Fatigue. The main causes of Dysbiosis are believed to be antibiotics and pesticides along with other environmental and dietary factors." Farlex's Online Medical Dictionary defines Dysbiosis thusly, "An imbalance in theintestinalbacteriathatprecipitateschanges in thenormalactivities of thegastrointestinaltract or vagina,possiblyresulting in healthproblems." Just remember that although Dysbiosis (an imbalance in the normal ratio of the bacteria that live both in you and on you) is basically caused by ANTIBIOTICS, non-Antibiotic drugs that have ANTIBIOTIC PROPERTIES, and ENVIRONMENTAL TOXINS, it is fed (perpetuated) by a DIET HIGH IN REFINED CARBS. Are you beginning to see why America provides the perfect environment for Dysbiosis to spread through our citizens like a wildfire?

COMMON HEALTH PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH DYSBIOSIS

A study from the Lithuanian journal, Medicina (Symbiotic and Antibiotic Interactions Between Gut Commensal Microbiota and Host Immune System) reveals that, "The immune system has evolved strategies to maintain this symbiotic relationship with a large number of diverse microbes. An average human gut contains approximately 10,000,000,000,000,000 bacteria, most of which cannot be cultured." Not that I am buying into their whole EVOLUTION THING, but the fact that most of these bacteria cannot be grown in a lab forces me to think less about PROBIOTICS and more about FECAL MICROBIOTA TRANSPLANTS. This is because later in the study they start tying loss of specific strains of bacteria to very specific diseases ---- some of which we will be touching on momentarily. Because you cannot get them all in PROBIOTICS (your body contains as many as 2,000 different known strains), FMT is the quickest, and safest way I am aware of to do so --- even if you are doing all the RIGHT THINGS.

I have been warning people for a long time that Antibiotics are one of the single most destructive things you can do for your health (HERE). A study from last month's issue of Cell, Host, & Microbe (Antibiotics, Pediatric Dysbiosis, and Disease) might agree. Listen to these words taken from the study's abstract. "Antibiotics are by far the most common medications prescribed for children. Recent epidemiological data suggests an association between early antibiotic use and disease phenotypes in adulthood. Antibiotic use during infancy induces imbalances in gut microbiota, called dysbiosis. Here, we synthesize current knowledge linking antibiotics, dysbiosis, and disease, and propose a framework for studying antibiotic-related dysbiosis in children. We recommend future studies into the microbiome-mediated effects of antibiotics focused on four types of dysbiosis: loss of keystone taxa, loss of diversity, shifts in metabolic capacity, and blooms of pathogens." Without using these words, I wrote about the loss of keystone taxaand diversity a number of years ago HERE.

Just two months ago, the Journal of Gastroenterology (Gut Microbiota and the Development of Pediatric Diseases) chimed in on this same topic. Follow along to see how critical it is that you take care of your infants properly --- from the very moment they are born. "A huge number of highly diversified microbes live inside and on the human body. They are collectively named microbiota. Many diseases have been linked to an aberrant microbiota in the intestines (dysbiosis) or other parts of the body. Neonates are born sterile, but many parts of their bodies are colonized by various microorganisms thereafter. The composition of the gut microbiota is dynamic, with drastic changes occur during infancy and childhood. It is not surprising that the gut microbiota is related to milk ingested by babies." But all milk is not created equal (HERE).

This study goes on to talk about one of the many ways that Dysbiosis affects children (Maturation of Immune System Responses). When infants / children are not exposed to large quantities of bacteria, the subsequent, "low gut microbiota diversity in early infancy is associated with increased risk of subsequent allergic diseases."I could name all the various diseases they mention, but you will find them scattered throughout this post (or HERE). But it's not just children and infants who are at risk.

If you type in "Gluten Dysbiosis" into a search on PubMed, the hits just keep coming. For instance, a two year old study from BMC Gastroenterology (Antibiotic Exposure and the Development of Coeliac Disease: A Nationwide Case-Control Study) revealed, "a positive association between antibiotic use and subsequent Celiac Disease suggests that intestinal dysbiosis may play a role in the pathogenesis of Celiac Disease." In this or similar studies, you can substitute the term NCGS for Celiac Disease and still be accurate. This is important considering what we know about the relationship between Gluten and Neurological Diseases (HEREand HERE) as well as the fact that for every person with Celiac, there are dozens of people with Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. This is true especially in light of the February, 2015 study from the French journal, Pathologie-Biologie (The Psychomicrobiotic: Targeting Microbiota in Major Psychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review). You don't have to look far to find a relationship between Gluten-induced Dysbiosis and Autism, Depression, MS, ALZHEIMER'S, PARKINSON'S, Schizophrenia, and a wide array of others.

What about ALLERGIESand ASTHMA? A study from the July, 2015 issue of Current Opinion in Rheumatology (Influence and Effect of the Human Microbiome in Allergy and Asthma) says that, "The emerging view of atopy [allergy] and asthma is one consistently related to inappropriate microbial community composition and function in both the airway and gastrointestinal tract." As you are starting to see, you could substitute almost any disease for the two mentioned above and the statement would still be true. In fact the study's abstract says that, "Perturbation [destruction] of these [bacterial] communities is an emerging characteristic of an increasing number of inflammatory diseases." I have shown you again and again that few in our society truly grasp the implications of the Hygiene Hypothesis (HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE). In fact, it was just this month that the journal Gut carried a study (Identification of an Anti-Inflammatory Protein from Faecalibacterium Prausnitzii, A Commensal Bacterium Deficient in Crohn's Disease) letting us know that certain diseases are being related to the absence of certain compounds made by certain Gut bacteria.

To take this concept a step farther, just look at next month's issue of Current Opinions in Rheumatology (The Intestinal Microbiome in Spondyloarthritis). Spondyloarthritis (any inflammatory arthritic condition affecting the spinal column), includes things like DJD, RA, AS, and a host of others. Listen to what the authors have to say. "Microbial dysbiosis in the gut is emerging as a common component in various inflammatory disorders including spondyloarthritis (SpA). Decreased numbers of Firmicutes, a major phyla of gut commensals, especially the species Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Clostridium leptum have been found in various inflammatory disorders including SpA and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and could be an important link between SpA and gut inflammation. Multiple studies in ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile SpA, and animal models of SpA are revealing common bacterial associations among these diseases as well as Inflammatory Bowel Disease."

One of the numerous common Inflammatory Diseases associated with Dysbiosis is Diabetes (both Type I, which is autoimmune, and Type II, which is caused by LIVING THE HIGH CARB LIFESTYLE). I feel vindicated for nearly 25 years of warning my patients to keep their families far away from Antibiotics. Here is yet another reason why. Last month's issue of PLoS One (Antibiotics in Early Life Alter the Gut Microbiome and Increase Disease Incidence in a Spontaneous Mouse Model of Autoimmune Insulin-Dependent Diabetes) reveals that, "even a partial ablation of the gut microbiota, as induced by vancomycin [a potent Antibiotic], significantly increases type 1 diabetes incidence in male non-obese, non-diabetic mice thus prompting for caution in the use of antibiotics in pregnant women and newborns." Last month's issue of Diabetologia (A Model for the Role of Gut Bacteria in the Development of Autoimmunity for Type 1 Diabetes) revealed something similar. "These studies suggest a testable model whereby a diet high in fat and gluten and low in resistant starch may be the primary driver of gut dysbiosis. This dysbiosis may cause a lack of butyrate production by gut bacteria, which, in turn, leads to the development of a permeable gut [Leaky Gut Syndrome] followed by autoimmunity." HERE is my article on Resistant Starch.

Just a few days ago, The Gupta Guide carried Dr Sanjay Gupta's review of numerous studies on the the health problems of infants that are directly related to mom's C-Section (Calls for Guidelines to Note Risks of Childhood Diseases After Cesarean Delivery). Because baby traveling through the birth canal is their first exposure to beneficial bacteria, a C-Section throws a wrench in the machine concerning this important function. "Combining results of several meta-analyses, Drs. Blustein and Liu developed an adjusted risk analysis indicating that cesarean delivery increased the relative risk of type 1 diabetes by 19% (based on 20 studies), with similar increases found for asthma (23 studies) and obesity (nine studies), they wrote in the British Medical Journal." They also mentioned UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, EAR INFECTIONS, GI problems, SKIN PROBLEMS, and others. But that's not all. Good vaginal flora is also a big deal for preventing various female Cancers.

A study from last month's issue of Gynecologic Oncology (The Vaginal and Gastrointestinal Microbiomes in Gynecologic Cancers: A Review of Applications in Etiology, Symptoms and Treatment) talked about the relationship between mom's Dysbiosis and her propensity for developing certain kinds of Cancers. "The human microbiome is the collection of microorganisms in the body that exist in a mutualistic relationship with the host. Recent studies indicate that perturbations in the microbiome may be implicated in a number of diseases, including cancer. More specifically, changes in the gut and vaginal microbiomes may be associated with a variety of gynecologic cancers, including cervical cancer, uterine cancer, and ovarian cancer."

Why should you be interested in learning about IBS and it's relationship to Dysbiosis? By looking at last month's issue of Gut and Liver (Gut Microbiota as Potential Orchestrators of Irritable Bowel Syndrome) we learn that, "Patients with functional bowel disorders (FBDs) have no clear structural or biochemical alterations on routine examinations, making diagnosis and treatment challenging. A number of FBDs affect the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) being the most prevalent, affecting approximately 10% to 20% of the population in the Western world." It's exactly why I have warned you that ADVANCED IMAGING TECHNIQUES will not likely show you what's wrong with you. To take it a step further, "In a healthy individual the small intestine contains a much lower density of bacteria than the large intestine. IBS has been suggested to be associated with small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)....... Growing evidence suggest that at least subgroups of IBS patients have an altered gut microbiota composition or dysbiosis. Presented as an altered balance in beneficial or pathogenic bacterial species, dysbiosis is thought to have a bigger impact on gut wellbeing in IBS patients than previously thought, affecting such processes as intestinal barrier function and immune system regulation." We discussed intestinal barrier function (Leaky Gut Syndrome) just the other day.

Remember just a few short days ago how I showed you that there will soon be a VACCINE FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE? For those who think this sounds great, just remember that it doesn't even come close to dealing with the source of the problem --- a diet-induced Dysbiosis. The current issue of Hypertension (Gut Dysbiosis is Linked to Hypertension) sheds light on this fact via their abstract. "We observed a significant decrease in microbial richness, diversity, and evenness in the spontaneously hypertensive rat, in addition to an increased Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. These changes were accompanied by decreases in acetate- and butyrate-producing bacteria. In addition, the microbiota of a small cohort of human hypertensive patients was found to follow a similar dysbiotic pattern, as it was less rich and diverse than that of control subjects. High blood pressure is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis, both in animal and human hypertension. They suggest that dietary intervention to correct gut microbiota could be an innovative nutritional therapeutic strategy for hypertension." Diet as innovation? Since when is what one eats considered "innovative"? This is why the DRUGS-FIRST mentality of your physician who doesn't HAVE A CLUE ABOUT NUTRITION in the first place is not only killing you, but preventing you from solving your numerous health issues!

If you've followed my site for very long, you are already aware of the fact that there is a strong relationship between VACCINES AND AUTISM, with two brand new studies throwing some more gas on this fire. In April, the medical journal Drug Metabolism and Disposition published a study (Microbiome Disturbances and Autism Spectrum Disorders) telling us what we already know. "As genetics alone does not explain the underlying cause in many cases, attention has turned to other environmental factors as potential etiological agents. Gastrointestinal disorders are a common comorbidity in ASD patients. It was thus hypothesized that a gut-brain link may account for some autistic cases. With the characterization of the human microbiome, this concept has been expanded to include the microbiota-gut-brain axis. There are mounting reports in animal models and human epidemiological studies linking disruptive alterations in the gut microbiota or dysbiosis and ASD symptomology. Based on the premise that gut microbiota alterations may be causative agents in ASD, several therapeutic options have been tested, such as diet modulations, prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, antibiotics, fecal transplantation, and activated charcoal." For those who are still living in the world of "genetics," make sure to READ THIS.

A month later, Gut Microbes published an Italian study (Autism Spectrum Disorders and Intestinal Microbiota) telling us more of the same. "Through extensive microbial-mammalian co-metabolism, the intestinal microbiota have evolved to exert a marked influence on health and disease via gut-brain-microbiota interactions. In this addendum, we summarize the findings of our recent study on the fecal microbiota and metabolomes of children with pervasive developmental disorder–not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) or autism (AD) compared with healthy children (HC). Children with PDD-NOS or AD have altered fecal microbiota and metabolomes (including neurotransmitter molecules). We hypothesize that the degree of microbial alteration correlates with the severity of the disease since fecal microbiota and metabolomes alterations were higher in children with PDD-NOS and, especially, AD compared to HC."

Does anyone recall a few months ago when I did a post on BIOFILMS? The March, 2015 issue of Cell Reports (Manipulation of the Quorum Sensing Signal AI-2 Affects the Antibiotic-Treated Gut Microbiota) contains some interesting information on Biofilms as they relate to Antibiotics. "The mammalian gut microbiota harbors a diverse ecosystem where hundreds of bacterial species interact with each other and their host. Given that bacteria use signals to communicate and regulate group behaviors (quorum sensing), we asked whether such communication between different commensal species can influence the interactions occurring in this environment. We engineered the enteric bacterium, Escherichia coli, to manipulate the levels of the interspecies quorum sensing signal, autoinducer-2 (AI-2), in the mouse intestine and investigated the effect upon antibiotic-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis. E. coli that increased intestinal AI-2 levels altered the composition of the antibiotic-treated gut microbiota, favoring the expansion of the Firmicutes phylum. This significantly increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, to oppose the strong effect of the antibiotic, which had almost cleared the Firmicutes. This demonstrates that AI-2 levels influence the abundance of the major phyla of the gut microbiota, the balance of which is known to influence human health." Just understand that the reason this research is going on in the first place is to make money off your misery. Drug companies cannot simply patent a bacteria ---- that is, unless they first genetically engineer it. Which is why I suggest you at least think about doing a FMT --- a position that I am not alone in.

The May issue of The World Journal of Gastroenterology (Fecal Microbiota Transplantation as Novel Therapy in Gastroenterology: A Systematic Review) showed that not only does FMT improve METABOLIC SYNDROME (the precursor to Diabetes) it may improve numerous other health issues as well. The same month's issue of Gastroenterology (Update on Fecal Microbiota Transplantation 2015: Indications, Methodologies, Mechanisms, and Outlook) went on to say that, "The community of microorganisms within the human gut (or microbiota) is critical to health and functions with a level of complexity comparable to that of an organ system. Alterations of this ecology (or dysbiosis) have been implicated in a number of disease states, and the prototypical example is Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been demonstrated to durably alter the gut microbiota of the recipient and has shown efficacy in the treatment of patients with recurrent CDI [CLOSTRIDIUM DIFFICILE]. There is hope that FMT may eventually prove beneficial for the treatment of other diseases associated with alterations in gut microbiota, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, and metabolic syndrome, to name a few." By the way, not only has FMT been characterized elsewhere as safe, but this study reveals that it is, "relatively simple to perform". I showed you that HERE.

VITAMINSTHE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY(And Their Relationship to Dysbiosis & Gut Health)

"A primary cause for incorrect flora is often a diet that contains either too much sugar, fruit, fruit juice, alkaline water, or raw food such as salad, sweets, alcohol and even medical or over-the-counter drugs.In fact, taking too many vitamins, minerals or herbs can upset the digestion enough to unbalance the flora." -Dr. Lawrence Wilson (MD) from Your Intestinal Flora

"I don't believe that vitamins are essential ingredients of a healthy diet, but rather I contend that all of the necessary nutritional chemicals are produced by the microorganisms of the gut. I have previously discussed the gut flora (bacteria and fungi) as the source of most vitamins."-Dr. Art Ayers

"Dr. Oz and the general biomedical community promote the idea that vitamin supplements or in foods are needed or improve health. Of course, several research studies show that typical multivitamin supplements or the levels of vitamins in "enriched" foods do not provide improvements in health. Since gut flora produce all of the needed vitamins, this should be no surprise." Art Ayers from Vitamin C, Guinea Pigs, Limeys and Gut Worms

"Almost all multivitamins are from synthetics. The same goes for fortified foods. There’s a good reason for this. Synthetic vitamins are cheaper to make and usually more stable. This means they can last on shelves for months or years, be added to foods in high doses, and create small dense tablets packed with insane amounts of every type of vitamin. These vitamins are allowed to call themselves “natural” even when they are actually synthetic because scientists say the synthetics are virtually identical to the ones found in food. The way these compounds are made is not remotely similar to the metabolic processes that plants and animals use to create them. The finished product is also usually a compound not exactly the same form as any found in nature. These synthetic vitamins, according to a multitude of studies, are not as bioavailable, absorbable, or usable. These “virtually identical” vitamins are not what we find in natural foods, not recognizable to the body, hard on the kidneys, and can often be treated as toxins." From Natural vs. Synthetic Vitamins – What’s the Big Difference? at the sunwarrior website

What have I been telling folks for over two decades? Only that cheap vitamins are just that --- cheap vitamins. Remember the study that Johns Hopkins put out just two short years ago and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements)? This study (it was actually an editorial) concluded that, "Antioxidants, folic acid and B vitamins, and multivitamin and mineral supplements are ineffective for preventing mortality or morbidity due to major chronic diseases. Supplementing the diet of well-nourished adults with (most) mineral or vitamin supplements has no clear benefit and might even be harmful. These vitamins should not be used for chronic disease prevention." DR. ROYAL LEE and other giants in the "Whole Food Movement" (DR. WESTON PRICE, DR. FRANCIS POTTENGER, DR. JACK La LANE, etc) were saying similar things nearly a century ago.

Just a couple of days ago I saw where Mal Wart and several other similar retailers (GNC was in the mix as well) were busted for selling herbal supplements; the vast majority of which (79%) contained zero (that would be none) of the active herbal ingredients they claimed to contain on the label (echinacea, ginseng, St. John’s wort, garlic, ginkgo biloba, saw palmetto). And now this. Dr. Art Ayers latest blog post (Healthy Gut Microbiota Means: No Supplements, No Cleanses, No Drugs, No Processed Foods) twists our brain capacity a little bit more --- or maybe a lot more. In this post (as well as several previous ones) Ayers reveals that (the following points were cherry picked from his latest post).........

"A healthy, functional gut microbiota (bacteria and fungi) supplies all of the vitamins needed, daily multivitamins are not beneficial, vitamin deficiencies are a symptom of gut dysbiosis, spiking your diet with multivitamins may disrupt your microbiota, because vitamins are actually the chemical signals used for communications between bacteria in biofilms, bowel cleanses damage gut microbiota, chronic inflammation is a symptom of vitamin D deficiency, and most medicines have substantial antibiotic activity."

The more I learn about GUT HEALTH and DYSBIOSIS, the more I realize that solving it is the key to everything related to ill health. And the really good news in this post is that Ayers lets us know that our plight is not hopeless, "damaged gut microbiotas / immune systems can be fixed". We learn some things about this process of "fixing" that besides HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE, you can find in the "Gut Health" link above. Oh; and I almost forgot to mention something really important. After warning people about taking vitamins or partaking of foods with added vitamins ("fortified"), he makes an interesting statement. "Try some whole foods instead."

Is Ayers correct? Just remember that no matter what anyone tries to tell you, there is a dramatic difference between WHOLE FOOD NUTRITION and SYNTHETIC NUTRITION. It's not that people can't get drug-like effects from SYNTHETIC VITAMINS (ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS from mega doses of Synthetic Vitamin C, for instance). However, using drugs has consequences --- even if those drugs happen to be "natural" vitamins ("natural" is almost always the code word for "synthetic"), usually in the form of MONOTHERAPIES. I would strongly recommend that you read Dr. Ayer's post on this matter.

The best thing about using Standard Process Nutritional Supplements in our office is that they are made from food --- plants and animals. The best thing about Standard Process is that when you get the Whole Food Vitamin / Mineral Complex, it doesn't take much. Less is more. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. A little bit of Whole Vitamin Complex from nature is typically much better than a whole bunch of an isolated chemical fraction synthesized in a lab. None of this plays well in our if-a-little-is-good-a-lot-must-be-better society. Food or food-based supplements are where it's at, because anything that puts our body OUT OF PHYSIOLOGICAL HOMEOSTASIS essentially becomes a toxin. To see more on this phenomenon (as well as a free generic template to help you start getting your life back), HERE'S THE POST.

CANDIDA ALBICANSDEFEATING SYSTEMIC YEAST NATURALLY

Candida Albicans (a "yeast" infection or overgrowth) is the most common fungal infection on the planet. And although most women can tell you plenty about Vaginal Yeast Infections, today's emphasis will be on Systemic Yeast Infections --- i.e. the yeast infections that get in your bloodstream and travel to various parts of the body, where they drop anchor and set up camp.

It's important that you realize a certain amount of Candida is found as a natural part of your Gut Flora. Unfortunately, there are certain things that can cause the Candida to reproduce, grow, and literally take over the body. Although there are any number of things other things that along with sugar, fuel Candida (we'll cover that list in a moment), like most forms of DYSBIOSIS, it is usually caused by taking ANTIBIOTICS (or other SIMILAR DRUGS). This is also the reason that I think most doctors tend to blow this problem off, unless there is a visible thrush or vaginal yeast present. They certainly don't want to answer any of those pesky questions such as, "Doctor Smith, why do I have Candida?"

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF CANDIDAMy last post was on PARASITES. I mentioned the fact that "parasitosis" (the condition of having parasites) produces many ill-defined or vague symptoms that can also be seen in any number of health problems. Candida is no different, and is (interestingly enough) commonly concurrent in people who have parasites. Some of the most common signs, symptoms, or hints that you may have an issue with Candida include......

YOU'VE TAKEN ANTIBIOTICS: I have repeatedly told my readers that Antibiotics will destroy you. This is because 80% of your body's total Immune System lives in your Gut and is made up largely of bacteria (HERE). Antibiotics kill them all --- the good along with the bad. Once you have tipped the balance in favor of the bad guys, Dysbiotic Infections (see the earlier links) take over and run rampant. The more Antibiotics you've taken, the greater your potential for problems (but as the earlier link showed, it only takes one round to throw a proverbial wrench in the machine). Just be aware that there are certain other factors at play. One of the biggest is....

BLOOD SUGAR DYSREGULATION / SUGAR ADDICTION: Any time you are consuming lots of sugar or high Glycemic Index carbohydrates, your chances of Systemic Candida go up --- even in the absence of FULL-BLOWN DIABETES or even PRE-DIABETES. Dietary sugar / starch becomes theBLOOD SUGAR that is Candida's meal-of-choice. Although there are many reasons for PATHOLOGICAL SUGAR / CARB CRAVINGS, Candida overgrowth is one of the biggies. This is one of the reasons that you will find the average person struggling with Systemic Candida to be severely OVERWEIGHT and a stark-raving-kill-you-for-that-candy-bar sugar addict. Oh, and for those of you who like to consume alcohol more than just "moderately," you must think of it metabolically as the equivalent of sugar.

SYMPTOMS THAT RESEMBLE IBS:Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) tends to reveal itself in the form of bloating, foul-smelling gas / bowel movements, and a combination of both diarrhea and CONSTIPATION. These can all occur with Candida. By the way, this is virtually identical to what is seen in people with parasites. Be sure to remember that FODMAPS tend to fuel the entire mess, often leading to yet another issue commonly seen along with --- SIBO.

YOU SMELL BAD: As is the case with any sort of parasitosis or other forms of Dysbiosis, the funky junky creatures living, thriving, and reproducing inside of you create toxic waste products that smell like; well, _ _ _ _. As you might be inclined to guess, the aroma of these compounds (Scatol and Cadaverol are two of the more interesting of the lot) is not exactly inviting. These smells could be in the form of horrendous B.O. or really bad breath --- or even smelly feet. Kind of like smokers who just ooze smoke out of their pores, people with Candida tend to ooze a rancid-smelling sort of toxicity.

CHRONIC FATIGUE --- MENTAL AND PHYSICAL: Candida is one of those things that just plain drains the life and energy right out of you. These people are not just physically wiped out, but mentally exhausted as well, frequently exhibiting the classic "brain fog" (inability to think, concentrate, remember, or focus) so commonly seen with the next bullet. However, it is not uncommon to see DEPRESSION, ADD / ADHD, Anxiety, Mood Swings, Insomnia, and Irritability in these folks as well -- all signs of SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE. Oh, and HEADACHES are another symptom commonly seen with Candida --- especially MIGRAINE HEADACHES.

CHRONIC PAIN / FIBROMYALGIA: When I speak of Chronic Pain here, I am mostly speaking of FIBROMYALGIA. Show me a person suffering with Fibromyalgia (mostly women) who does not have the severe sugar cravings we mentioned earlier, and I'll show you 100 that do. Sort of like Cancer (HERE) or other forms of infection (HERE); because sugar is what is feeding this beast, people crave it like they were on CRACK, METH, OR HEROIN.

OTHER FUNGAL INFECTIONS: These are seen in the form of Oral Thrush (see pic at top of page), Vaginal Yeast Infections, Athlete's Foot, Fingernail / Toenail Fungus, Ringworm and other fungal skin infections, etc, etc.

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES: There are a whole host of things that tend to set your body's Immune System in motion the wrong way, leading it to start ATTACKING ITSELF. One of the biggest of these is GLUTEN, while another involves WHIPLASH AND HEAD INJURIESAnd while there are any numbers of others, Candida holds a prominent position here as well. If you are interested in knowing what some of these Autoimmune Diseases are, HERE is a list.

FEMALE PROBLEMS: Unfortunately, one of the 'joys' of being a woman is finding out that you are significantly more likely than men to get almost every health problem under the sun. Candida can be specifically related to almost all of them, including DECREASED LIBIDO. ANEMIA --- much more common in the female population as well --- is also widely seen in Candidiasis. This might also be a good time to mention the fact that besides Antibiotics, Candida is also widely linked to oral birth control.

ALLERGIES / SENSITIVITIES / SKIN PROBLEMS: These can be both food allergies / sensitivities, as well as seasonal allergies (HERE). They might also manifest with Eczema, Psoriasis, rashes, hives, as well as rectal or vaginal itching. If you have SKIN PROBLEMS, you have to at least be thinking Candida.

A GENERALLY WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM: Candida is another one of those problems that leads to generalized Immune System Dysfunction that can lead to either over-activity (you saw this with Autoimmune Diseases) or SUPPRESSION. Besides the ALLERGIES mentioned above, it can lead to CHRONIC SINUSITUS, CONSTANT COLDS, ASTHMA, all sorts of chronic infections, sore throats, EAR INFECTIONS, etc, etc, etc. And we haven't even as much as mentioned the granddaddy of immune system dysfunction yet --- "THE LEAKIES". As you can see, the big problem here is that when you go to your doctor with any of these things, what are you most likely to be given? That's right --- more Antibiotics. And the viscous cycle continues unabated.

OTHERS: There are a number of others that I could have put here as well. Be warned that some of the foods / drinks associated with supplying "good bacteria" to your Gut (namely SAUERKRAUT & KOMBUCHA) can actually cause (or at least contribute to) Candidiasis when used to excess. I written about a similar phenomenon HERE and HERE.

TESTING FOR CANDIDAOnce it is determined that you might have Candida, the question becomes one of diagnosis. The only test I would recommend is the Comprehensive Stool Test with their Candida Intensive Culture (CIC) tacked on (see YESTERDAY'S POST). Not only is this the best test for determining whether or not you have Candida, it is also the best test for determining whether or not you have Parasites. And since the symptoms of each are so similar, you will be killing two birds with one relatively inexpensive stone.

SOLVING CANDIDAOK; you have Candida. What are you going to do about it?

EDUCATE YOURSELF: I firmly believe that if you do not understand things like INFLAMMATION, GUT HEALTH, or why ANTIBIOTICS are one of the most seriously dangerous / destructive medications you can put in your body, you will be hard-pressed to kick Candida permanently.

GET OFF THE SUGAR AND STARCH: We know that SUGAR FEEDS CANCER. In fact, we know that SUGAR feeds virtually all non-genetic disease processes (and some 'genetic' ones as well ---HERE). If you are trying to get free from the claws of Candida and are still not doing a PALEO DIET or somethging similarly sugar-starving (KETOGENIC would be good as well) I would ask you why not? The truth is, you may have to get really hardcore with your diet and cut out all sugars (even those from things like FRUIT) in order to lick this thing. Be aware, however, that Candida has the ability to live on sugar, but on ketone bodies as well. Probably why most experts recommend at least some carbs in a Candida Diet.

CAREFUL WITH THE FERMENTED FOODS: I have already mentioned alcohol and some of the naturally FERMENTED FOODS. Although I certainly don't want people to freak out here, be sure to tread lightly, as the fermentation process often uses yeast. Candida is simply a naturally occurring part of your natural flora (yeast) that has run amok.

TAKE A BROAD-SPECTRUM PROBIOTIC: Broad-spectrum antibiotics kill numerous types of bacteria. Your Gut contains hundreds (maybe thousands) of different strains / varieties / species of beneficial bacteria. Wouldn't it make sense to take a broad-spectrum probiotic as well? HERE is what I take personally and provide our patients.

A SERIES OF COLONICS: A person I knew who had struggled with MIGRAINE HEADACHES her whole life was told she had a serious Candida problem that was causing serious chemical sensitivities. After trying any number of things with limited success, she had a series of COLONICS (colonics are like enemas, only they go the whole five feet of the colon). The person doing the colonics used a machine that saved the stuff caked to her intestinal wall so it could be viewed for diagnostic purposes. She saw it herself and told me it was orange and fuzzy. Was this Candida? Not quite sure, but it was definitely some sort of yeasty moldy. What I am sure of is that this person had a dramatic change in her health after this. Depending on how many antibiotics you've been on as well as other signs and symptoms, you may at least need to ponder an FMT as well.

TREAT IT LIKE THE PARASITE IT IS: I have said it before, but parasites and Candida are linked closely enough that most of the things that effectively treat PARASITES are also good for dealing with Candida.

OTHERS: The truth is, there are all sorts of products (many of them proprietary) that you can purchase to help with Candida. Some of these are probably great, many are junk. Some of the things people find helpful in dealing with Candidiasis include Caprylic Acid (from coconuts), Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide, High Fiber, Colloidal Silver, Bentonite Clay, etc, etc, etc. As always, do your own research and realize that defeating Candida is going to require more than taking a bottle of Candida-be-Gone and wishing.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANTIBIOTICS, DYSBIOSIS, AUTOIMMUNITY, & OTHER CHRONIC ILLNESS

PublicDomainPictures - English - Pixabay

Rheumatological manifestations in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are frequent and include peripheral arthritis, axial involvement and peripheral enthesitis [Tendinosis], osteoporosis and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy, and ankylosing spondylitis.Cherry picked from the Abstract of a study called, "Rheumatological Manifestations in Inflammatory Bowel Disease"; an article found in the June 2011 issue of Annals of Gastroenterology.

I would argue that there is no such thing as a localized autoimmune disease. Certainly various tissues, glands or organs may be affected in one person more than another. However, autoimmune conditions are more systemic than they are localized. Certainly if gut dysbiosis can cause inflammatory cascades in tissues all over the body, the effects of autoimmune signaling are indeed systemic.... Refined and processed foods, rampant antibiotic usage, chemical and metal toxicity all derail the health of the intestinal micro-flora. Studies have demonstrated that the gut flora plays a critical role in regulating inflammatory cascades, including the factors which incite tissue inflammation..... The gastrointestinal tract is a large surface area containing trillions of microbes that make up a large percentage of the immune defenses. Dysfunction to the intestinal mucosal barrier leads to a condition commonly referred to as leaky gut syndrome. Closer inspection often reveals a condition called villous atrophy. When this takes place there tends to be a very high level of inflammation that is present. There is now an increasing body of evidence that shows that gut dysfunction is a primary factor in autoimmune diseases such as RA, lupus, MS and AS. There are many studies which cite the association between intestinal dysbiosis and the development of autoimmune conditions. Studies such as this one, demonstrates that in the autoimmune condition ankylosing spondylitis, 70% of patients had gut inflammation.Cherry picked fromMichael McEvoy's article, The Role of Gut Function In Autoimmune Conditions

It's that time on year again when due to inclimate weather, people tend to stay indoors more than what is healthy. This always ends up with various forms of sickness being passed around. And with this, we see a huge increase in doctor visits ---- typically to be prescribed ANTIBIOTICS. Unfortunately, because viruses and bacteria are two totally different kinds of germs, antibiotics do not help with viral infections. And although doctors know this, for years they have blatantly ignored this information.

"In hospitals, 190 million doses of antibiotics are administered each day. Among non-hospitalized patients, more than 133 million courses of antibiotics are prescribed by doctors each year. It is estimated that 50 percent of these latter prescriptions are unnecessary since they are being prescribed for colds, coughs and other viral infections". Interesting quote. I took it directly from the website of the American College of Physicians (Internal Medicine). I've seen estimates much higher than the 50% they mention.

Another prominent medical website, world-famous Mayo Clinic, lists health problems which they state,"are almost always" viral in nature ---- but are commonly treated with antibiotics. Which health problems facing you and your family are almost always viral? Mayo's list includes.......

Stomach Flu (This is not the same as the "Flu" although it is what we call the Flu. The truth is, most of us have probably never had the Flu. The real name of the Stomach Flu is "Gastroenteritis".)

Miriam Rabkin (M.D. M.P.H.), wrote in the Medical House Staff Training Program in Internal Medicinefor the Department of Medicine at the Ivy League's Columbia University Medical Center: “It is clear that there is no role for antibiotics in the management of simple upper respiratory infection [URI] and bronchitis. This statement is data-based, uncontroversial, and supported by every expert panel and management guideline. Why then do physicians continue to prescribe antibiotics – of wider and wider spectrum – for these syndromes? The scope of the problem is immense. A large 1997 survey indicated that antibiotics were prescribed for 52 percent of patients with URIs and 66 percent of patients with bronchitis. This practice did not vary by geographical area, physician specialty or patient socio-demographic or insurance status. These data are consistent with other U.S. surveys and with data collected in other industrialized countries. Antibiotics unnecessarily prescribed for URIs and bronchitis represent 31 percent of total antibiotic prescriptions in the U.S.” Her statement is backed by dozens upon dozens of scientific studies from around the world.

I do not have the time required to tackle all of the questions raised by Dr. Rabkin's quote. However, I want to show you just how bad antibiotics are when it comes to your overall health and immune system function. This is because contrary to popular belief, antibiotics are not an immune system booster. They are an immune system suppressor. Here are the definitions of what it means to suppress: To end or stop, end, or put down something by force. To keep something secret or hidden: to not allow people to know about or see something or to keep from public knowledge. To exclude from consciousness. To inhibit the growth or development of something. I would say that these fairly well describe the twisted relationship between antibiotics and your immune system --- whether you realize it or not.

Gut Health & AntibioticsA decade and a half has passed since a group of Australian doctors from the University of Melbourne's Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology published a scientific paper in The American Journal of Physiology called, "The Intestine as a Sensory Organ: Neural, Endocrine, and Immune Responses". The authors told us something that alternative health field already knew, and the Scientific-Medical Community had suspected for decades. "The gut immune system has 70 – 80% of the body's immune cells". Stop! Did you catch that? Read it again and let it sink in. Your gut (intestines and digestive tract) is where the vast majority of your entire immune system lives! Why have I been telling people for over two decades that Antibiotics are one of the single biggest destroyers of health in this country? Plainly stated, they kill immune system cells. Antibiotics always leave you with a WEAKENED GUT and immune system. And when you get sick again, what are you given? More antibiotics. Repeat ad infinitum. As you see, antibiotics and infection can quickly become a vicious cycle. But this is just the beginning.

This vicious cycle of antibiotics and infection opens a Pandora's Box of health problems with the potential to affect virtually every part of the body. This cycle has been strongly linked to LEAKY GUT SYNDROME, GLUTEN SENSITIVITYand Dysbiosis. DYSBIOSIS(too many bad organisms in the gut crowding out the good) is now being touted in the peer-reviewed scientific literature as a primary culprit in AUTOIMMUNITY (at least 20-30% of the American population has some sort of AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE, with some researchers are putting that number closer to half).

If your health is in a shambles and you're looking for answers, what are you supposed to do? Well, if there is one thing that you have already figured out, it is that simply going to another "specialist" is not likely to create that "ah ha" moment you have been searching for. I mean for crying out loud, you've already been to dozens of doctors. And their answer is always the same. More tests. More prescriptions. And eventually, surgeries. If you enjoy the path you are on and think that giving these folks more of your time and money means they'll eventually figure it out, you're likely fooling yourself. If you simply look around you, read the internet message boards, and talk with the people going through the same problems that you are, you start to get a picture that is closer to the truth.

The only way you are ever going to have a prayer of solving some of these problems is to step outside the box that is conventional medicine. Your problem may be purely mechanical (HERE is an example). Or, it could have all sorts of crazy components that require some intensive testing ---- but not the same testing you have already been through. Figure out what your underlying problem are (HERE) and deal with them. Click on the link for several articles that contain a variety of strategies.

DYSBIOSIS AND OBESITYFEEDING THE BEAST

The doctor of the future will give no medicine, but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease.Thomas Edison

Although this is not our first conversation on the matter, in light of a brand new study, it bears repeating: The bacteria in your gut have a great deal of control over your weight. In a rather 'local' study, Dr Jeffery Gordon of St. Louis' Washington University --- a man whose CV reads like a scientific Who's Who (Medical Degree, Molecular Biophysics, Genetics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, etc) --- published a series of studies on the relationship between one's weight and the type of bacteria found in the gut. We have already seen how STOOL TRANSPLANTS are being used to help people with CHRONIC DYSBIOTIC INFECTIONS (not to mention various AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES and other Chronic Health Problems). Dr. Gordon's team is using Stool Transplants from humans to mice to show how it affects weight.

Just one short week ago, I reported in a post called EAT DIRT, about a recent Danish study linking the type and number of bacteria in one's gut to things like CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, INSULIN SENSITIVITY, DIABETES, OBESITY, as well as poor lipid profiles (HIGH CHOLESTEROL / high triglycerides, etc). In this study, Dr. Gordon's team of researchers found identical twin females (human), where one twin was lean and the other was obese. They then bred rats with no gut bacteria whatsoever (can anyone say GMO?).

Next, they transplanted fecal material from the various humans into different rats. Amazingly enough, despite identical diets, the type of fecal material that was transplanted to the mice made them either fat or thin --- depending on the weight of the host. Furthermore, Dr. Gordon's team found that when fed a 'healthy' diet, the lean rats could confer the leaning effects of their bacteria to their fellow rats (yeah; rats are "coprophagists" --- they eat each other's feces). However, when they were fed cruddy diets, the ability to transfer weight reducing properties was negated.

Dr. Gordon went on to conclude that, "In the future, the nutritional value and the effects of food will involve significant consideration of our microbiota, and developing healthy, nutritious foods will be done from the inside-out, not just the outside-in." Wow! This quote sounds suspiciously similar to things that were said by some rather intelligent people of generations gone by (see quotes below). The truth is, despite Big-Pharma's stranglehold on the practice of modern medicine, a new generation is discovering (or re-discovering as the case may be) ancient truths regarding dietary habits and health. For more articles on this topic, visit our GUT HEALTH PAGE.

HYPOCHLORHYDRIA

Since their clinical launch 25 years ago, the use of proton-pump inhibitors [heartburn drugs] has increased progressively with approximately 5% of the developed world now receiving such treatment. Several factors are likely to be contributing to the increase in usage of proton-pump inhibitors, but in this month's issue of Gastroenterology Reimer suggests that the drugs themselves may be causing or aggravating the disease process they are used to treat.... Treating gastroesophageal reflux disease with profound acid inhibition will never be ideal because acid secretion is not the primary underlying defect.Drs. Kenneth McColl and Derek Gillen of the Division of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow. Published in the medical journal, Gastroenterology, June, 2009.

As you can see from the bolded sentence above, there are so many "myths" floating around the field of medicine, I would not even know where to begin as far as debunking them. For instance, there's the idea that germs are the sole cause of disease (HERE). And as amazing as it may seem, there are people who still believe that FLU SHOTS actually prevent the flu. There's also the notion that the ANTIBIOTICS used to (erroneously) treat said infections are safe and effective. And we can't leave this paragraph without at least mentioning the great American myth ---- that our national level of health is somehow proportionate to the number of drugs we are taking (HERE) --- about 13 prescriptions per person, per year.

The problem is that each of these myths (not to mention dozens of others --- HERE) directly affect your health in an adverse manner. Today we are going to throw one more on the junk heap. There is a myth that is so ingrained in people's minds that getting it out is often times impossible --- the myth that your digestive issues are caused by too much or too strong stomach acid.

Acid is rated on a pH scale (see diagram above left). 7 is neutral, 14 is the strongest base (alkali), with 0 being the very strongest acid. How strong should stomach acid really be? Listen to what my 1986 version of Guyton's Textbook of Medical Physiology (the standard physiology text for all physicians of every sort) says about the gastric secretion of stomach acid. "The pH of this acid solution is approximately .8, thus illustrating it's extreme acidity." Let me spell out to you what Dr. G is saying here.

Considering battery acid (sulfuric acid --- H2S04) is the strongest acid listed on most pH charts (it's about 0), the fact that normal stomach acid (hydrochloric acid --- HCl) is next on the list should at least get your attention. Add to this the fact that on a pH scale, each number represents a factor of 10 (in other words, 1 is ten times more acidic than 2, 100 times more acidic than 3, 1,000 times more acidic than 4.....), and you can start to see how acidic stomach acid really is. What does 'strong' stomach acid do? We'll get there momentarily, but first it's important to understand how you are being conned.

"Convincing people they are sick and need a drug is a multi-billion dollar industry. In 2015, Big Pharma dropped a record-breaking $5.4 billion on direct-to-consumer (DTC) ads, according to Kantar Media. And it paid off for Big Pharma. The same year, Americans spent a record $457 billion on prescription drugs. Americans also pay more for drugs and devices than any other country." From Michelle Y. Llamas 2015 article in Drug Watch (Selling Side Effects: Big Pharma's Marketing Machine)

"The biggest spender, Johnson & Johnson, shelled out $17.5 billion on sales and marketing in 2013, compared with $8.2 billion for R&D. In the top 10, only Roche spent more on R&D than on sales and marketing. Most of this marketing money is directed at the physicians who do the prescribing, rather than consumers. More than $3 billion a year marketing to consumers in the U.S. in 2012, but an estimated $24 billion marketing directly to health care professionals."Anna Swanson from the February 11, 2015 issue of the Washington Post (Big Pharmaceutical Companies are Spending Far More on Marketing than Research)

When it comes to marketing, the medical community spares no expense. One of the ways that medical marketing has exponentially increased market share is by convincing people they have "Diseases". If that tag-team of YOUR DOCTOR and BIG PHARMA can convince you that you have a disease that can never be cured --- only 'MANAGED' with a lifetime of drugs and surgeries --- they see you and your diseases as a cash cow that will put money in their pockets for decades to come. Multiply this scenario by tens of millions of people, and you have a gold mine whose value is unfathomable. Take, for instance, GERD (Gastro Esophogeal Reflux Disease).

GERD used to be known as 'heartburn'. And of course everyone knows that heartburn is caused by too much or too strong stomach acid. Or is it? It's funny how the medical research is catching up to the things that the "Alternative Practitioners" (aka QUACKS) have been telling their patients for decades.

Despite the fact that acid-blocking PPI's (PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS) are the third most-prescribed class of drug in America (as of 2008, Nexium --- the 'purple pill' --- was America's number two selling drug behind only LIPITOR), the mainstream medical community is starting to realize the wisdom of men like DR. ROYAL LEE. You see, it has only been in the past couple of decades that the medical community 'discovered' that both Gastritis and Stomach Ulcers are caused by a bacteria ---- Heliobacter Pylori (usually just called H. Pylori). Listen to what Dr. Lee wrote eighty five years ago.

The ability of the human body to resist the invasion of its tissues by microorganisms is dependent upon a number of factors. But probably the best way to insure the highest degree of resistance for any given individual is to see that his dietary intake of vitamins is amply high.... Stomach ulcers are probably the best instance of a bacterial invasion primarily due to lowered resistance resulting from vitamin deficiency.Dr. Royal Lee from the September 18, 1933 issue of The Vitamin News

Medicine's emphasis on decreasing stomach acidity (raising stomach pH), coupled with diets that acidify the body (JUNK FOOD AND PROCESSED FOOD), have led to a nation of people plagued by digestive problems --- as well as the brutal (AND UNDER-REPORTED) side effects of the drugs most commonly used to treat them. The problem is that the doctors have it all wrong. 99.9% of the people with these sorts of digestive disorders do not have too much stomach acid, they actually have too little --- a condition known as Hypochlorhydria. Let me hit you with some crazy facts from the peer-reviewed scientific literature concerning stomach acid (or the lack thereof) and H. Pylori infections.

GERD is thought to be dramatically underestimated because of the crazy numbers of people taking over-the-counter antacids and PPI's.

Approximately 20% of those who have H. Pylori infections end up with ulcers.

About 1% of these get Stomach Cancer.

70% of partners / spouses share H. Pylori.

H. Pylori is the only bacteriarecognized as a Grade I Carcinogen by the World Health Organization (it is strongly associated with Stomach and Pancreatic Cancer).

These statistics on Hypochlorhydria and Achlorhydria (no stomach acid) are shocking. Throw in the stats on H. Pylori and they are stupefying. As you can see, the problem could (and probably should) legitimately be referred to as an epidemic. But what are all of these people told over and over and over again by their PCP's and Gastroenterologists?

They are told that they have too much or too strong stomach acid. Not only is this not true, it is 180 degrees opposite of the truth. Make sure you catch this point. As crazy as it sounds, the reason that most people have GERD-like symptoms is because they are making too little or too weak stomach acid. Allow me to explain, while you remember that Guyton said normal stomach acid is 0.8.

Healthy people have a slightly alkali body (about 7.4) and a very acidic stomach. Unhealthy people (a huge percentage of Americans) tend to have a body that is more acidic (all sick people are acidic) and because of this, are wearing out their body's capability for buffering this acid. Because there should be, at least in healthy people, an inverse relationship between the acidity of the body and the acidity of the stomach, this means it's likely that the unhealthy stomach will not be acidic enough (HERE). What are the consequences of poor quality / quantity of stomach acid? They are many and potentially severe.

HYPOCHLORHYDRIA(LOW STOMACH ACID)

Slower

Hypochlorhydria (low stomach acid) is not only rarely if ever recognized by the medical community for the significant health issue it is, it is heavily promoted via the unbridled use of antacids and the acid blockers known as Proton Pump Inhibitors (drugs whose very labels carry the warning not to take them for more than 14 consecutive days, and no more than three rounds per year). People who have post-meal signs and symptoms such as reflux, heartburn, gas, belching, upset stomach, bloating, etc, are almost 100% assured of having at least some degree of Hypochlorhidria (they likely have some degree of SIBO as well). I know, I know, I know. You've been told that these problems are the result of too much stomach acid. Stay with me for a moment.

Not only is this a huge misconception, but low stomach acid (higher pH acid) has actually been tied to a wide array of serious diseases. This should not be surprising considering that if your digestion is screwy, the nutrition you consume is going to go through you without being broken down and absorbed into your bloodstream.

COMMON SIGNS OF HYPOCHLORHYDRIA

Bloating, Burping, and Gas immediately following meals / Staying full long after a meal is over

FIRSTLY:All alkalizing minerals (the minerals that create the slightly alkali pH that your body requires) can only be absorbed in an extremely acidic environment. This is why antacids are a huge cause of OSTEOPOROSIS, even though some (like TUMS) actually tout themselves as anti-osteoporotics due to the fact that their buffering ingredient is calcium (i.e. a poor source; Calcium Carbonate -- limestone or chalk). Click HERE to learn about the single best calcium supplement on the planet.

SECONDLY: Strong stomach acid prevents dysbiotic overgrowths of bacteria, yeasts, or other microbes from making their way from the intestines to colonize the stomach --- something not uncommon in SIB) (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth). If your stomach's pH is too high (too alkali), you create an environment for bacteria to gain access, take hold, grow, and reproduce. The most common of these is Heliobacter Pylori (H. Pylori for short). Although these critters are normally found in the Gut in small numbers, they should never be present in the stomach. Thus, it's not surprising that the drugs taken for heartburn (PPI's) commonly cause various sorts of Dysbiosis (HERE), including H. Pylori infections.

THIRDLY: It is stomach acid that stimulates the pancreas to release the proper ENZYMES needed for digestion. Without the acid trigger, digestion will be severely hampered. If you are not digesting your food properly, there is no way to get it into your system in its proper form. It will, however, along with the microbes we've already discussed, end up in your blood stream in an improper form. LEAKY GUT SYNDROME is where inflammation causes the gaps between cells in your gut to get too large, allowing all sorts of things into your blood stream that should never be there. The body begins to mount immune system reactions against what it perceives as foreign invaders (it is) and attack it. This is why increased intestinal permeability (a "leaky" gut) is a hallmark of the "Trifecta of Misery," chronic inflammation, chronic pain, and chronic illness. It's impossible to fix a leaky gut in a person with Hypochlorhydria!

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE HYPOCHLORHYDRIA?Although there are several ways to test for hypochlorhydria (HERE are a number of them), there are a couple that I recommend you start with in the privacy of your own home (no, I do not feel it is necessary to swallow the radio transmitter pill that broadcasts stomach pH back to the doctor via a computer printout --- great test, but it will cost you about 500 bucks). Another popular test is consuming a significant amount of Baking Soda and seeing how long it takes to belch. Truthfully, if you have lots of the symptoms I've listed in this post, rest assured that you have Hypochlorhydria.

In fact, when recently discussing the the tests in the link in the previous paragraph with a practitioner with decades of experience in FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE, he said he has never one time seen a person with too much stomach acid except in the case of gastric tumors called gastrinomas (Zollinger / Ellison Syndrome) --- an extremely rare disease that is a major risk factor for Pancreatic Cancer. Here are the signs you may have Hypochlorhydria.

YOUR SALIVARY pH IS TOO LOW: If your salivary pH is low, this means that your body is probably too acidic. Remember the earlier discussion on stomach pH? The pH of the body has an inverse relationship to the pH of the stomach. If you have an acidic salivary pH, it probably means that your stomach is not acidic enough. Get some test paper at the local drugstore (pH paper) and check it. Your salivary pH should be a slightly alkali 7.4.

YOU FEEL CRAPPY WHEN YOU EAT HIGH PROTEIN MEALS ---- PARTICULARLY MEAT:Stomach Acid (HCl --- Hydrochloric Acid) is what helps break down and digest protein. When you are unable to digest proteins, they go through a funky process whose name alone might make you vomit ---- putrefaction. Putrefaction occurs when the food you eat fails to digest. It moves slowly through the digestive tract, often undergoing a process similar to fermentation.

YOU ROUTINELY HAVE HEARTBURN OR INDIGESTION: Some people don't even have to eat protein to get stomach symptoms. They get it routinely from anything they eat.

YOU ARE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER: Although I do not recommend that you drink much water with your meal (it tends to dilute your stomach acid), you need lots of water throughout the day if you want your stomach acid to be strong and effective. Here is a simple moniker to help you understand why. Hydro means 'water'. Hydro-chloric acid is a water-based acid ---- it is manufactured by your body using H2O. Without ample water, your stomach acid will be too weak. Many people can cure Hypochlorhydria simply by hydrating themselves properly with water or green tea.

YOU GET POST-MEAL GAS IN THE FORM OF BELCHING, BLOATING, OR FLATULENCE: Although this can be caused solely from food sensitivities such as those seen with gluten or dairy, it is also a common symptom of having low stomach acid (Food Sensitivities themselves are actually heavily associated with Hypochlorhydria). Much of this has to do with a dysbiotic gut. Because your Gut's good bacteria play such a huge role in digesting food; and because strong acid keeps the bad bacteria from overgrowing your digestive tract --- strong acid keeps the bad bacteria at bay. Too many bad bacteria and you have half of the double-sided coin that is POOR GUT HEALTH --- Dysbiosis. Once you have Dysbiosis, it won't be long before you have the other side of the coin --- a Leaky Gut.

MYOFASCIAL SYNDROMES AND MUSCLE SPASMS / CRAMPS: When you fail to absorb minerals (all minerals are only absorbed in a highly acidic environment), there is the potential to end up with MUSCLE ISSUES, including TRIGGER POINTS.

THE MECHANISM OF HEARTBURN OR GERD

A combination of CHRONIC STRESS, crappy diets, TOXICITY, and antibiotics, leads to low stomach acid aka Hypochlorhydria. Due to the decreased acid content of the stomach and duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), and increased transit time for the foods we eat to clear the body (people with constipation always have weak stomach acid), we start to see dysbiotic overgrowth of yeasts, MOLDS, parasites, and bacteria --- the most famous (or infamous as the case may be) being H. Pylori. Although we need lots of good bacteria in the Gut to have a HEALTHY IMMUNE SYSTEM (80% of your immune system is found in the gut -- HERE), too many bad bugs create an increasingly toxic environment, overworking the liver (HERE), and typically leading to a marked increase in GI symptoms as well as poor absorption of vital nutrients.

As you have seen, one of the major signs / symptoms of this whole problem is gas --- lots of gas (which always means SIBO --- see earlier link). This gas causes a major increase in the pressure inside the stomach (bloating). This pressure, coupled with the closure of the sphincter valve between the stomach and the duodenum (it will not open unless there is enough acid to trip the trigger) will tend to push the putrefying food mass --- a mass that happens to be extremely acidic --- back up past the valve and into the esophagus. In fact, some people with severe GERD will have a red ring around their mouth from being constantly burned by stomach acid and a putrefying bolus of partially digested food at night. Since the esophagus is not protected by the same lining as the stomach, it is highly susceptible to being burned by HCl.

Now throw in SIBO's ugly sister, LEAKY GUT SYNDROME, and sooner or later you'll end up with one or more of THESEAutoimmune Diseases (Autoimmune Diseases are like Lays Potato Chips --- "you can't have just one."). Along the way, you'll develop GERD because the valve at the top of the stomach will fail to work properly. What does this all mean to you --- the average American?

American doctors are writing over 100,000,000 (100 million) prescriptions a year for acid-blocker drugs known as PPI'S. As a NON-EVOLUTIONIST, I simply have to ask myself if it makes sense that humans were created so faulty that such a huge segment of our population would require heartburn drugs? In other words, is such a huge segment of our society really making too much stomach acid? No way! So; why do these drugs appear to work --- at least on a temporary basis?

They block the acid that is part of the mess being refluxed back up the esophagus. But it's kind of like "REBOUND HEADACHES" (headaches caused by the medications being taken to control headaches). Having plenty of strong stomach acid helps the digestive process stay on track, preventing gas / bloating, and helping to keep the valve between the esophagus and stomach closed. This helps to prevent stomach acid and putrefying food from backing up into the esophagus or "refluxing". But where do you start as far as fixing this problem is concerned?

HOW TO FIX HYPOCHLORHYDRIANATURALLY

TRY AND EAT WHEN YOU ARE NOT STRESSED: There are two parts of the nervous system --- the Sympathetic and the Parasympathetic. The Sympathetic Nervous System is geared toward fight or flight. It gives us a rush of adrenaline and moves blood away from the digestive organs to our limbs so that we can flee or stand and fight (this reaction occurs even if the stressor is not physical in nature). Conversely, the Parasympathetic Nervous System is all about relaxation and digestion. To learn more about that relationship, read the post that I consider to be one of the most important I've ever done; SYMPATHETIC DOMINANCE.

EAT LOW CARB: Sugar, Fructose, High Glycemic-Index foods, and even artificial sweeteners mess with your digestive system by decreasing stomach acidity. Some of this is because they acidify the body in general (creating the inverse relationship we spoke of earlier). Some of this is due to the fact that these things have a tendency to feed part of the very problem we are trying to correct ---- Dysbiosis (HERE). Also be aware that there is thirty years of research tying Gluten Sensitivity back to Hypochlorhidria (HERE). A PALEO DIET is a potential solution to all of this and more.

IF YOU HAVE IBD OR IBS, DON'T EAT YOUR CARBS AND PROTEINS TOGETHER: For those of you struggling with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) or IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease), it might behoove you to try eating your carbs separate from your protein (at completely different meals), since the acid is needed for protein digestion. All foods (fats, carbs and proteins) are digested via enzymatic activity. But it's important to remember that the enzymes the body uses to digest protein are only activated in the presence of strong stomach acid. Oh, and while we are actually talking about digestive enzymes, not only can they be purchased almost anywhere relatively inexpensively, but most can be found naturally in raw whole foods.

GET TO A HEALTHY WEIGHT: Although GERD symptoms can hit just about anyone, like numerous other health-related problems, they're much more common in those who are overweight. Interested in getting to a healthy weight? CLICK HERE.

GET PERIODIC ADJUSTMENTS: Although people who have never been to a Chiropractor do not understand this point, Chiropractors and their patients do. There is not a day that goes by where someone does not come to get adjusted because of their heartburn. Nerves from the spine (HERE) control the organs, glands, and tissues of your body. When the vertebrae are either misaligned or not moving freely in relationship to each other, it creates subtle dysfunctions in nerves that may or may not lead to pain, but can often trigger other seemingly unrelated symptoms. Heartburn is actually one of the more common of these.

CHEW YOUR FOOD COMPLETELY: Not only does this help ease the digestive process, chewing actually stimulates the production of stomach acid.

RAW APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND LEMON JUICE: This is a concoction that despite being extremely acidic itself, will actually alkalize the body while acidifying the stomach. I generally use Braggs vinegar. This is because your vinegar needs to be raw and unpasteurized as opposed to the stuff in your pantry. I even know people who have been cured of their GERD by eating the proverbial apple a day.

BETAINE HCl: Betaine Hydrochloric Acid is a simple inexpensive way to see if you are deficient in HCl (we use Standard Process's Zypan, which not only has the acid, but the enzymes as well). Just take HCl with your meal and see how you do. (WARNING: DO NOT DO THIS WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S SUPERVISION --- particularly if you are on NSAIDS, CORTICOSTEROIDS, or other Anti-inflammatory drugs. These drugs are known to damage the stomach's protective lining. Although it is not uncommon to get some degree of discomfort from taking Betaine HCl (particularly at first), this discomfort should not be severe. If it is severe, IMMEDIATELY STOP TAKING THE PRODUCT AS YOU COULD AGGRAVATE AN ULCER. Specific directions for taking HCl are forthcoming.

HELIOBACTER PYLORI

Remember what Dr. Royal Lee said back in the early 1930's about both Gastritis (INFLAMMATION of the stomach) and ulcers being caused by a bacteria (H. Pylori)? This is only partly true. While it is true that H. Pylori causes these two things, H. Pylori is a bacteria normally found in the Gut. In fact, a recent study said that in the early 1900's, H. Pylori was the most commonly found organism in the Gut. What made this once-docile bacteria go rouge? You probably already know the answer to this one --- antibiotics. But there are other reasons as well.

They range from Gluten, to SUGAR, to alcohol, to anti-inflammatory drugs and antacids, to dietary toxins, to even coffee (as a side note; both black and green tea have been shown to inhibit H. Pylori). Notice that this list looks suspiciously like the list causes low stomach acid. As a survival mechanism, H. Pylori actually releases chemicals (toxins) that decrease stomach acid. How do you know whether or not you actually have H. Pylori? You can either do a stool sample or a breath test.

Image by User: Y_tambe

Image by Y_tambe

TOP TEN WAYS TO KNOCK OUT H. PYLORI NATURALLY

Be aware that if you go to the doctor and tell him / her that you think H. Pylori (a bacteria) might be your problem, you are going to be given antibiotics, whether they test you or not. As you can imagine, this is a monstrous problem because it happens to be how you probably came to have H. Pylori in the first place.

The good news is that for many of you there are a number of things you can do to knock it out without having to go on antibiotics. Here are my top ten. Again, you'll notice that some of these overlap the list I gave you for low stomach acid. They are in no particular order.

GET TESTED: There are a couple of ways to do this. Firstly, you could check via a Stool Sample. This is nice because you can check for other things like parasites, dysbiosis, leaky gut, etc, at the same time (see earlier link on parasites). Or you could simply do the urea breath test. Here's the thing. If you suspect H. Pylori, it is easy and inexpensive to confirm via testing. The breath test is cheaper, but a comprehensive stool test will provide tons more information about GUT HEALTH.

AVOID PROCESSED FOODS: Smoked foods, refined flour, sugar and sugar substitutes, additives, preservatives, and chemicals found in foods are known to contribute to H. Pylori via their acidity (they acidify the body, while alkalizing the stomach). They also don't contain any of the enzymes needed to digest your food as do most whole foods --- particularly when eaten raw.

GO GLUTEN FREE: If you Google "Gluten Hypochlorhidria" you'll probably be shocked at just how much information there really is on this unholy connection. To see the multitudes of ways that GLUTEN can adversely affect your health, just click the link. To see what it will take to go Gluten Free, HERE is the place to start.

TAKE A STOMACH ACIDIFIER: I covered these earlier. If raw apple cider vinegar does not work, then some form of Betaine HCl is the way to go, but you need to use it the correct way. Just prior to eating a high protein meal, take a tablet (we use Standard Processes' Zypan). If you do not notice symptoms of burning or GI distress, you can continue this for a couple more days. Next, do the same thing with two tablets --- then three tablets, etc. When you hit the point where stomach discomfort occurs, back off by one tablet. Warning: do not hold these tablets in your mouth as they can burn you. If you already have ulcers, they can burn you as well. In that case, you'll need to do a different protocol. Besides helping with digestion, the higher acidity (lower pH) will help to kill H. Pylori by ruining their environment. DISCLAIMER: Do not do this unless you are under the supervision of a physician. Be aware that some of you might actually undergo a HERXHEIMER REACTION from doing this.

AVOID ANTIBIOTICS AND OTHER DRUGS: Plainly stated, ANTIBIOTICS are usually the reason people end up with H. Pylori in the first place. Unfortunately, NEARLY ALL DRUGS are functionally antibiotics. By the way, according to a 2/8/2012 memo from the FDA, Acid Blocker drugs are not onlly associated with H. Pylori, but are strongly associated with C. DIFF as well.

DRINK LOTS OF WATER AND ONLY WATER: Amazingly enough, there is actually a great deal of peer-reviewed scientific literature on this very thing. Hydro [water] chloric acid will help create an environment that H. Pylori hate. I will warn you, however, that soda (EVEN DIET SODA) will feed this problem. Although I have seen studies pooh poohing it, I tend to not drink with my meals so as not to dilute my stomach acid.

EAT A WHOLE FOOD DIET: Diets chocked full of WHOLE FOODS, particularly things like onions, garlic, fresh hot peppers, Licorice, Cinnamon, Ginger, citrus seed extracts, Ethiopia's own berberi, rhubarb, cinnamon, and Coconut oil have all been shown to have beneficial effects on H. Pylori infections (HERE). Cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower, cabbage, and kale, have been shown to be effective in clinical trials as well (HERE). Bear in mind that the immature 'sprouts' of the cruciferous vegetables have been shown to contain 50 times the active ingredients as mature plants. Eating sauerkraut or even drinking the juice has been shown effective in regulating stomach acid, as have other fermented vegetables. There is also evidence that raw vegetables such as carrots, green leafies, and sweet potatoes can be beneficial as far as getting rid of H. Pylori infections are concerned. Plants such as Gentian, Dandelion, Scutellaria, Goldenseal, and Ginger have also shown themselves beneficial as they increase secretions of stomach acid.

Dr. Schierling completed four years of Kansas State University's five-year Nutrition / Exercise Physiology Program before deciding on a career in Chiropractic. He graduated from Logan Chiropractic College in 1991, and has run a busy clinic in Mountain View, Missouri ever since. He and his wife Amy have four children (three daughters and a son).